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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Phillip Inman

Greedflation: are large firms using crises as cover to push up their profits?

Proctor & Gamble headquarters complex is seen in downtown Cincinnati
Proctor & Gamble, whose brands include Gillette, Braun and Tampax, has protected a profit margin of over 17% for three years, rewarding its CEO with a 44% pay rise. Photograph: John Minchillo/AP

Large companies have exploited the pandemic and the Ukraine war to drive their profits higher, protecting dividend payments to shareholders.

That is the accusation levelled at big businesses by unions and a growing number of academics and City economists, who believe the corporate data from 2019 onwards reveals systematic and excessive price increases that can fairly considered price-gouging or, more emotively, greedflation.

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