When the shortage is the strategy

Companies have deliberately constrained supply and raised prices far beyond justifiable levels since the pandemic, discovering this strategy works without consumer backlash—a practice called "Rockets and Feathers" where prices rise sharply but fall slowly. Corporate profits have driven over half of inflation since 2020 while real wages grew only 3%, contributing to record credit card debt ($1.28 trillion) and 40% of American adults unable to pay their balances in full. With weak regulation and reduced competition in 2026, corporations have no incentive to lower prices, leaving millions of Americans struggling financially while profit margins hit all-time highs.