Fortune (November 11)
“Russia’s inflation has gone from bad to worse as it continues to wage war against Ukraine, causing even everyday goods to feel out of reach for the average person.” For example, “the price of a slab of butter has increased by 25.7% since December, prompting a slew of thefts across Russia and highlighting the state of the wartime economy.” To prevent shoplifting, supermarkets and retailers are now “attaching anti-theft tags to cans of meat… butter and other grocery staples.”
Tags: Anti-theft tags, Butter, Economy, Grocery, Inflation, Meat, Price, Retailers, Russia, Shoplifting, Supermarkets, Thefts, Ukraine, War
Philadelphia Inquirer (May 23)
“Catalytic converter thefts are on the rise nationwide, fueled by record prices for the precious metals in the auto part, which helps gas-powered engines burn cleaner. Demand for the metals, palladium and rhodium, has climbed in recent years as governments pass stricter emissions laws to cut pollution. The auto industry is the metals’ biggest consumer.” In the past five years, palladium has soared from $600 an ounce to $2,900, while rhodium has reached $28,000 an ounce.
Tags: Catalytic converter, Cleaner, Emissions laws, Engines, Gas-powered, Governments, Palladium, Pollution, Precious metals, Record prices, Rhodium, Stricter, Thefts
