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By now it’s clear that anyone betting on the post-Covid inflationary period being a short-term blip rather than the beginning of a long spate of hardship has resolutely lost. Consumer sentiment is increasingly moving from nervousness to existential fear as the “heat or eat” dilemma looms ever larger this winter.
As expected, most early responses from brands regarding soaring inflation and price hikes have been limited to messages of empathy, transparency and understanding. But as the crisis persists, these communications appear hollow or even insulting to intended audiences.
Empathy alone is no longer enough
When Danish butter brand Lurpak hiked prices by 33% in July, it tried to quell consumer frustration by citing rising raw material prices and the need for farmers to receive fair pay.
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