Yes, there was a small amount of money pumped into the consumer economy ($2000/household). Yes, there were some supply shocks during the height of the lockdowns.
No, those do not explain the persistent high prices.
Unprecedented consolidation across all sectors made it easy for a much smaller group of people at the top to respond to a zeitgeist that expected inflation by keeping prices high after the supply shocks were over, and pocketing the difference. It didn't even require active collusion (though it wouldn't surprise me if there was at least a little).
Yep. Mostly straight to business owners. But that wasn't sold as "stimulus", it was sold as "a loan" which was then forgiven without repayment. When people talk about "stimulus" they usually mean the cheques to individuals.
Yes, there was a small amount of money pumped into the consumer economy ($2000/household). Yes, there were some supply shocks during the height of the lockdowns.
No, those do not explain the persistent high prices.
Unprecedented consolidation across all sectors made it easy for a much smaller group of people at the top to respond to a zeitgeist that expected inflation by keeping prices high after the supply shocks were over, and pocketing the difference. It didn't even require active collusion (though it wouldn't surprise me if there was at least a little).