Story by Beh Lih Yi / Thomson Reuters Foundation
A popular Singapore retailer came under fire on Thursday for “trivialising” International Women’s Day by cooking up a promotion offering cut-price frying pans.
Upscale department store chain TANGS marked the day, which falls on March 8 and is observed across the globe by women pushing for greater equality, by discounting a range of items, including two frying pans.
Other deals included beauty products, high heels and shavers.
The retailer sent out a promotional email to customers with the S$38 frying pan offers listed at the top, according to Marketing magazine. The deals were still listed on TANGS website on Thursday.
Campaigner Jolene Tan said the promotion appeared to overlook the struggle of women in the city-state, who are pushing for better representation in company boardrooms and battling laws which critics say allow marital rape.
“International Women’s Day is a day to honour the struggles of women for equality, safety and respect,” said Tan, head of advocacy and research at Singapore’s Association of Women for Action and Research.
“Sadly, too many retailers present it as a consumerist event to be trivialised through sales and discounts rather than attention to the serious issue of gender equality.”
An executive at the corporate communications department said she could not comment.
Singapore is ranked 55 out of 144 countries in the Global Gender Gap 2016, an annual report by the World Economic Forum which measures how women fare in areas such as economic and political participation, health and education.
Only 8 percent of women in Singapore are board directors and they are paid 43 percent less than their male counterparts, according to Tan citing previous research.
TANGS is most recognisable for its flagship store at the swanky shopping district of Orchard in downtown Singapore. It also has outlets in neighbouring Malaysia.
Reporting by Beh Lih Yi.
DMKKS says
Whats wrong with selling frying pans, heel shoes on women’s day???
Well, Tangs should not offer frying pans on woman’s day. it should be a normal discount on any day. But heel shoes… come on, what’s wrong with that.Every gender has its good and bad points. likes and dislikes, Can and cannot wear. Heel shoes on a guy?
If its men’s day and they sell shavers and men’s shoes at a discount, I will buy. Women should not find it offensive to buy high heels or pans.
I have a theory… Women do not want to be women. So pretty much look down on themselves.
Generally, men don’t look down on women (except some bas****s). I think women should be proud of who they are. Man can be cocky, sexist, insensitive, etc… do you really want to be like that? For real?
And Come on! most if not all celebrity cooks are male! They won’t mind buying. I don’t mind buying. If you want to be equal to the male species, then buy!