Almost as if there's multiple supply chain disruptions (from pandemic to ukraine) causing goods to be more scarce, causing consumers to bid up the prices for the goods that remain.

> the US COVID-19 inflation is predominantly a sellers’ inflation that derives from microeconomic origins, namely the ability of firms with market power to hike prices.

https://scholarworks.umass.edu/econ_workingpaper/343/

I understand that monopolies and barriers to entry can exist. The government should be much more focused on eliminating those rather than central planning through things like pensions that are shockingly complex and have a penchant for unintended consequences. I believe in a social safety net but markets with a little guidance can do most of the government's work for it and avoid be better at avoiding a ton of pitfalls like runaway inflation.

But then everybody's salary stagnating hasn't made the cost of goods stagnate. There's no such simple and direct link between the two.

Example: supermarkets where I live co-ordinate their prices. There are 5 big chains and they all increased prices in tandem (and margins, so nothing to do with increased costs). They get slapped with a 100 miliion euro fine every year or two, but what do they care? It's a drop compared to the amount they profit from the cartelisation.

Because Apple, Tesla and the international market for fungible goods like gas or grain, doesn't care about the stagnating salary in your country. They'll still want X USD for their products.