Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop Outrages With $120 ‘Luxury Diaper’—For A Good Reason
By Alexa Heah, 13 May 2022
Even if you’re unfamiliar with Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow’s luxury lifestyle site, you may have heard of when she sold a vagina-scented candle, followed by one that was even more puzzling.
Hence, when the company first showed off a “luxury diaper,” you’d be forgiven if you thought it was yet another one of its strange launches.
However, it turns out that this time, the fanfare wasn’t actually to sell a luxury diaper—which, by the way, is supposedly lined with “virgin alpaca wool” and encrusted with “amber gemstones.” Rather, it was to highlight an issue plaguing low-income families in the country: diaper tax.
Said to be infused with the scent of jasmine and bergamot, a box of ‘The Diapér’ was marketed to be priced at US$120, or the same figure that diaper tax could cost families each year.
According to the brand, in 33 states across the nation, diapers aren’t listed as essential items and are taxed at the same rate as other luxury goods, driving up prices and making the commodity one that’s priced out for many families.
To generate awareness of this pressing issue, the site teamed up with Baby2Baby, a nonprofit organization that provides key items, including diapers and basic necessities, to low-income families that otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford it.
Worryingly, during the pandemic, Baby2Baby saw its diaper requests increase by a whopping 505% due to national shortages, resulting in the company manufacturing its own diapers to help serve a wider community.
To aid the cause, Goop’s ingenious marketing campaign hopes to spread awareness of the growing issue, and encourage those who can to donate to the organization to help parents in need.