How did we get to today's supply chain mess?

November 25, 2021

Ian Bremmer Explains: How Did We Get to Today's Supply Chain Mess? | GZERO World

The supply chain mess is hitting all of us. Inflation is now the highest it's been in over 30 years.

The costs of food, gas and housing are going through the roof. What's more, almost everything made outside of America is now in short supply — like semiconductors for our cars.

Why is this happening? A lot of it has to do with the pandemic. Asian factories had to shut down or thought there would be less demand for their stuff. So did shipping companies. But then online shopping surged, and now there's a lot of pent-up demand to spend all the cash we saved during COVID.

But it's not just the pandemic. Before COVID, companies kept limited inventories to save costs and fatten up profit margins. And now we're all suffering the consequences.

Watch this episode of GZERO World with Ian Bremmer: Inflation nation: What's driving US prices higher?

Subscribe to GZERO on YouTube to be the first to see new episodes of GZERO World with Ian Bremmer: https://bit.ly/2TxCVnY

From Your Site Articles

Congolese ceasefire collapsing as peacekeepers’ mandate extended

Malawi soldiers part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) military mission for eastern Congo, wait for the ceremony to repatriate the two bodies of South African soldiers killed in the ongoing war between M23 rebels and the Congolese army in Goma, North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo February 20, 2024.

REUTERS/Arlette Bashizi

Fighters from the M23 rebel group in northeastern Congo have been targeting civilians in violation of a July ceasefire agreement, according to the Southern African Development Community, whose peacekeeping mandate was extended by a year on Wednesday.

How did we get to today's supply chain mess?

GZEROMEDIA

More from GZERO Media

Congolese ceasefire collapsing as peacekeepers’ mandate extended

Fighters from the M23 rebel group in northeastern Congo have been targeting civilians in violation of a July ceasefire agreement, according to the Southern African Development Community, whose peacekeeping mandate was extended by a year on Wednesday.

Ukraine wastes no time shooting more Western missiles into Russia

Ukraine has begun using long-range missiles from the US and UK to hit targets inside Russia for the first time, after getting long-awaited permission from Washington and London.

Exclusive GZERO Poll: What will Trump do first in office?

Hard Numbers: Spain welcomes migrants, Giraffes need protection, Brazil uncovers a plot to kill Lula, Nigel Farage excluded from farmer protests

300,000: Spain will grant residency and work permits to 300,000 migrants who have been living in the country illegally.

US vetoes Gaza ceasefire resolution

GZEROMEDIA

The role of nuclear in a net-zero transition

How world leaders are preparing for Trump’s return

The global response to Donald Trump’s imminent return to power has been nothing short of remarkable.

GZERO’s Dish of Delights, Nov. 19, 2024

Ukraine fires US missiles into Russia. What's next?

UN will resume aid flights to Haiti as gangs gain ground

The UN Humanitarian Air Service is scheduled to restart flights to Haiti on Wednesday, a week after several planes attempting to land at Port-au-Prince airport came under small arms fire.

How did we get to today's supply chain mess?

GZEROMEDIA

Subscribe to GZERO Media's newsletter: Signal

More from GZERO Media

Fighters from the M23 rebel group in northeastern Congo have been targeting civilians in violation of a July ceasefire agreement, according to the Southern African Development Community, whose peacekeeping mandate was extended by a year on Wednesday.

Ukraine has begun using long-range missiles from the US and UK to hit targets inside Russia for the first time, after getting long-awaited permission from Washington and London.

300,000: Spain will grant residency and work permits to 300,000 migrants who have been living in the country illegally.

GZEROMEDIA

Subscribe to GZERO Media's newsletter: Signal

The global response to Donald Trump’s imminent return to power has been nothing short of remarkable.

The UN Humanitarian Air Service is scheduled to restart flights to Haiti on Wednesday, a week after several planes attempting to land at Port-au-Prince airport came under small arms fire.