According to economist Štěpán Křeček, this year’s holidays will very likely be the most expensive ones in history for Czech families. Inflation is high, Chinese ports are on the verge of collapse, and shops are increasing their margins. Those are just some of the reasons for these unfortunate news. The clogging of Chinese ports is probably the most important problem, as some goods are already begging to be very hard to obtain. This is happening due to the spread of the Delta variant, which has resulted in limited working hours throughout Chinese ports. These ports are a vital source of toys, clothing and electronics for Czech shops. Low supply and high demand is simply bound to make these items more expensive as the Holidays will approach. Also, after the pandemic, Czechs are expected to spend more on Holiday gifts, since the purchase options of many were very limited last year. Thus, the biggest shortage is expected in the electronics department, where chips are used, which are in shortage for over a year now. Ultimately, anyone who can is advised to buy their gifts as soon as possible.
