(Image source: http://olofstrom.kyparn.se/)
A Swedish restaurant is charging women lower prices than men because women allegedly work “more stressful jobs” that make them incapable of enjoying meals.
The Local reports the Olofström restaurant Nebbebodagården charges women ten krona ($1.21) less than men for the lunch buffet in order to incentivize more women to eat at the restaurant.
The manager of Nebbebodagården, Ivan Todorov, told The Local, “I wish the price reduction wasn’t necessary, but that’s just the best case scenario.”
“Women maybe have more stressful jobs, it’s more difficult for them to get away from them, and there’s an economic element,” he claims.
Todorov also justified his price discrimination by stating it would be better for women’s “health” if they were able to go outside and eat their meals.
Todorov said the reaction to the price reduction for women has been positive because men will “only be happy” to see women patronizing the restaurant.
The Local notes, “Across Sweden, women's salaries have stayed at 93 percent of men's salaries since the mid-1990s.”
Despite the feminist intentions of the restaurant, it could face lawsuits on the basis of gender discrimination.
Susanne Fransson, Associate Professor of Legal Studies at Gothenburg University, told TT, “Unfortunately there is no room for positive discrimination according to gender. Discrimination law is quite blunt, and the equal treatment rule is very strong.”
The restaurant has allegedly been reported to the Equality Ombudsman.