© ABC Black calculator is $19.48, same calculator with a splash of pink is $24.97

Consumer experts are warning Australian women eyeing off the post-Christmas sales to either shop like men, or shop where men shop in order to avoid what is known as the "pink tax".

Consumer advocacy group Choice has warned Australian shoppers to be wary of sexist pricing policies this Christmas in light of a new report on the gender price gap, which shows women pay more than men for products such as clothing, stationery and even chocolate.

The pink tax has in recent years sparked outrage from consumer groups who say it contributes to gender-based economic inequality.

"We know the pink tax exists in some product categories so it pays to look past the colour of a product you're purchasing to determine the actual value on offer," a Choice spokesperson told the ABC.

"Big brands and retailers try all manner of tricks to get consumers to pay a premium unnecessarily.

"From dodgy credence claims to gender based marketing, it's important to look past the neatly massaged messages on the pack to determine what you're actually getting for your money."

Women paying 7% more for similar products

A new report by The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) revealed women may pay thousands of dollars more during their lifetimes for products ranging from razors, moisturisers, clothing and even toys.

The study looked at the gender-based pricing disparities of nearly 800 products with male and female versions, including toys and accessories, children's and adult clothing, personal care products, and home health care products, and found, on average, women pay approximately 7 per cent more than men.

Women's clothing costs nearly 8 per cent more than men's, while personal care products — hair care, razors, deodorant, lotion — cost women 13 per cent more, the DCA found.

The pink tax even applies to children's toys, with girls paying on average 7 per cent more than boys for bikes, backpacks, preschool toys, helmets and arts and crafts products.

DCA commissioner Julie Menin said the study's findings reflected an insidious culture of gender discrimination, which was compounded by the gender wage gap — women in the United States earn 79 cents for every man's dollar, according to 2014 Census data.

"It's a double whammy," Ms Menin said, "and it's not just happening in New York. You see in the aisles the issue is clearly applicable to consumers across the country."

Hitting women 'while they're down'

Earlier this year activist group GetUp! launched a campaign to raise awareness of the gender price gap in Australia and help empower shoppers at the checkout.

GetUp! spokesman Matt Levinson said charging women more when they already earn less was like "hitting them when they are down".

"It seems inequitable, it's just not fair," Mr Levinson told news.com.au.

The gender pay gap in Australia recently hit a record high of 18.8 per cent, with fulltime female workers earning on average $300 less per week than men.

The GetUp! campaign posted examples of the gender price gap on its Tumblr page, with Lego, calculators and even chocolate eggs aimed at girls costing more.

In one Australian store, a two-pack of Bic pens "for her" cost $4.50, while the men's equivalent cost only $4.00.

And at Coles, a girls Kinder Surprise chocolate egg cost $2.31, while the boys equivalent was just $2.20.

GetUp! also encouraged shoppers to look out for and share photographs of the pink tax on the shelf.

For consumers wanting to pursue matters further than social media, however, it suggested taking up discriminatory pricing with local MPs and lodging a complaint with the ACCC.

Shop in the men's department

To avoid paying the pink tax during the Christmas and New Year period, Choice urged women to be vigilant while shopping and perhaps even visit the men's aisle.

"During the peak retail season, retailers love to create hype to whip consumers into a spending frenzy. So it pays to research your purchases and take your time to look when shopping," the Choice spokesperson said.

"Ultimately, your best defence against the pink tax is to look past the pink products and seek out the best value on offer, which may well be in the men's department."