Nelson cafe charging men more to promote gender pay equality

Men will be paying an extra 50c for their coffee at this Nelson cafe this week. Photo / Google

Men visiting a Nelson cafe this week will be asked to pay an extra 50c for their coffee to highlight the gender pay gap in New Zealand.

Pomeroy's Coffee & Tea wants to highlight the fact that women get paid, on average, 12 per cent less than men in New Zealand.

"Help us raise awareness of the gender pay gap and let's pay the sisters the same as the misters," the cafe posted on Facebook.

"Starting on Monday we are asking all you awesome men to pay an extra 50c for your coffee and that little bit extra will go into the pay packet of a deserving hard working sister in Nelson."

Proceeds from the initiative will be used to top up the pay packet of a nominated hard-working woman at the end of the week.

Cafe owner Hayden Thompson told Newshub the initiative is "well worth the risk" and men have been happy to pay the extra 50c, which equates to a 12 per cent surcharge, for their coffees.

The initiative is part of the Equal Pay Week of Action, happening between August 12-20.

A Melbourne cafe last week was announced that men would pay 18 per cent more than women for a week every month to highlight gender inequality in Australia.