greedflation: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

It is a widely used term in media and political discourse but is not a formal, neutral term in academic economics. It is a portmanteau created to express a specific critique.

Price gouging typically refers to drastic price increases for essential goods during a sudden crisis (e.g., a hurricane). Greedflation refers to a broader, sustained trend of companies raising prices across an economy to boost profits, often leveraging a general inflationary environment.

There is no single official metric. Analysts often point to the divergence between overall inflation rates and the even faster growth of corporate profit margins as indicative evidence.

It is most commonly used by politicians, journalists, labour unions, and consumer advocacy groups critical of corporate power. It is less likely to be used by corporate spokespeople or more conservative economists.

A rise in inflation caused primarily by corporations raising prices excessively to increase profits, rather than by genuine market pressures like increased costs or demand.

Greedflation is usually journalistic, informal, critical/political discourse in register.

Greedflation: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡriːdˈfleɪ.ʃən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡridˈfleɪ.ʃən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.