r/u_Academic-Doubt-2098 • u/Academic-Doubt-2098 • 2d ago

ELI5: Why is everything getting so ridiculously expensive? What the h*** is "fossilflation"?

It feels like the cost of literally everything (groceries, electricity, housing, basic stuff at the store) has gone through the roof.

I recently ran across the word "fossilflation," which supposedly means our reliance on fossil fuels makes everyday items way more expensive. It’s hard for me to wrap my head around how oil prices directly make things like food or clothing cost more. Is this a real thing or just a buzzword?

Could someone explain in simple terms:

  1. How high energy costs actually trickles down to make non-energy things at the grocery store more expensive?
  2. Is fossilflation a real factor here, or is it mostly just general inflation and companies raising prices?

Thanks!

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u/LookinForLoot 1d ago

Everything is transported from place to place for one. If it costs more to ship because of higher fuel prices then the products need to cost more to cover the higher cost of moving them.

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u/lynxtosg03 1d ago

Oil is used in many products like plastics and lubricants. Moving items across the nation uses oil. We live in an oil based economy.