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Volker Ketzer wrote that the government plans a new plastic tax of 550 euros per ton. Since plastic is found in numerous products and packaging, manufacturers would, in his estimation, pass on the tax costs and the additional bureaucratic effort to consumers. The state expects revenues of nearly 1.5 billion euros per year starting in 2028, he wrote. He criticized that the levy will raise the cost of shopping while being described as environmental protection. #Plastiksteuer #Umweltschutz #Einkaufspreise (translated)

The author described the planned closure of the Ardo freezer plant in Groß-Enzersdorf as another heavy blow for agriculture and food supply. He wrote that the closure not only affects the employees but also hundreds of farmers in the Marchfeld, who are therefore desperate. #Landwirtschaft #Lebensmittelversorgung #Agrarpolitik #AT (translated)

The account of the savings book enemy wrote that Germany currently pays 1.4 billion euros annually from the federal budget for the EU levy on plastic packaging. Lars Klingbeil wants to change this from 2027; the plastic tax will be passed on to consumers. Hundreds of additional officials will be needed for control, and there will be a lot of bureaucracy for producers and traders. The additional burden for a family of four is estimated to be between 80 and 100 euros per year. The account described the levy as another consumption tax that increases the cost of food and drives inflation. #Plastiksteuer #Inflation #Verbraucherschutz (translated)

The prices for eggs in supermarkets are expected to rise by up to 20 cents per pack due to increased feed costs and a drought summer, while the domestic poultry industry is expanding its production with more laying hens, especially in the organic and free-range sector, to avoid future shortages. #Eierpreise #Lebensmittelproduktion #Österreich (translated)

Emanuel Boeminghaus wrote that indirect taxes continued to rise. Following taxes on tobacco and discussions about a sugar tax, there should now also be a tax on plastic packaging. According to the food newspaper he referenced, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Federal Ministry for the Environment were planning such a levy, which was expected to generate around 1.3 billion euros in additional revenue. Boeminghaus explained that the tax could increase the burden on consumers alongside other taxes, as such costs are often passed on to private households through higher prices. He wrote that as more consumer goods are taxed additionally, real purchasing power declines and many people become poorer. He ironically referred to Germany as a country where people "pay gladly and well." https://t.co/HO9LlEgy8r #Steuern #Deutschland #Plastiksteuer (translated)

U.M. OSINT reported that Israel had only completely blocked aid deliveries twice since October 7, 2023. The first blockade commenced on October 9, 2023; Egypt had also closed the Rafah crossing at that time. Starting at the end of October, Israel allowed aid deliveries to pass again—initially without fuel. According to quantities reported by COGAT, the deliveries later even exceeded pre-war levels. A second complete blockade lasted from March 2 to May 18, 2025, totaling 77 days. According to U.M. OSINT, Israel justified it with Article 23, Paragraph 2 of the Fourth Geneva Convention: deliveries must not be allowed if they cannot be effectively controlled or provide a concrete military or economic advantage to the opponent. At that time, Israel assumed that Hamas and others were hoarding food. There were also short-term closures following shelling, including on May 5, 2024. As evidence, U.M. OSINT referred to aerial images of the Kerem Shalom crossing, which he designated as the most important crossing for deliveries. A photo taken on October 30, 2023, showed the crossing closed. On June 3, 2024, trucks were waiting on the Egyptian side while the Israeli depot was empty and the Palestinian depot was full; northwest of there, a kilometer-long queue of trucks had formed for pickup. According to his post, these vehicles came from the UN or cooperating NGOs that had employed Palestinian transport companies or mercenaries. A photo from November 5, 2024, showed a similarly full Palestinian depot but no waiting delivery trucks. U.M. OSINT interpreted this as an indication of higher throughput by COGAT. Images from February 2026 showed fewer waiting trucks and still some pallets; the Palestinian side apparently managed to handle the supply. Additionally, U.M. OSINT wrote that UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated on December 2, 2024, that in the previous month, 90 percent of the aid trucks had been looted—98 out of 109. According to his account, UN publications confirmed that this had been ongoing for months. Publicly, this was primarily interpreted as a sign of hunger among Palestinians; however, the looting was mostly attributed to armed groups. An OCHA report from September 17, 2025, according to U.M. OSINT, reported 432 "malnutrition-related deaths," including 146 children. Data published by the Ministry of Health indicated 4 such deaths in 2023, 49 in 2024, and 260 between January and August 27, 2025. For comparison, he cited a total of 77 deaths due to malnutrition in England and Wales in 2022, as well as 436 cases where it had played a role. The medical term "malnutrition" (ICD E40–E46), according to his account, also includes deaths related to birth defects, genetic disorders, or cancer and does not necessarily mean that the affected individuals had insufficient food available. On May 21, 2025, the then UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Coordinator Tom Fletcher warned that 14,000 babies could die within 48 hours. At that time, the crossing was reportedly already open again, according to U.M. OSINT. He welcomed the interest in the aerial images and stated that they confirmed his and others’ earlier representations. At the same time, he accused some observers in a derogatory manner of not looking closely enough. #Israel #Gazastreifen #HumanitäreKrise (translated)

The author wrote that German forwarding and logistics companies were in a crisis of insolvency. Many people did not understand that the transport industry was the most important supplier of food, clothing, and all consumer goods. If the supply chains broke, it would lead to an emergency, he warned. https://t.co/CD39nblzMT #Logistik #Transport #Lieferkette #DE (translated)

The Iranian currency, the Rial, has reached a historic low, leading to a drastic decline in the purchasing power of the population and an explosive rise in food prices, while the average monthly wage has dropped by more than half since the beginning of the year. #Iran #Wirtschaft #Lebensmittelpreise (translated)

The user sparbuchfeinde wrote that he is a retiree, single, and the father of a son. His stock portfolio is worth 6 million euros and is to be inherited by his son later. He estimated the inheritance tax in Germany at 1,062,000 euros; if he and his son emigrated to Austria, it would be 0 euros. He asked whether others would relocate their family's place of residence abroad for tax savings. #Erbschaftsteuer #Vermögensplanung #Familienrecht (translated)

The sugar tax should primarily aim to make manufacturers reduce sugar in their products, not for the state to collect as much money as possible. In the UK, manufacturers have done exactly that: reformulated to avoid the tax. There was no sustainable economic damage. #Zuckersteuer #Nachhaltigkeit #Lebensmittelindustrie (translated)

The Chancellery is putting the brakes on the discussion about the planned sugar tax, as the draft from the Ministry of Finance deviates from the original recommendations and is facing substantial opposition from the food industry as well as political circles. #Zuckersteuer #Bundesregierung #Finanzminister (translated)

The US inflation has fallen overnight by 0.3 percentage points. Not a single price has decreased because of this. The calculation method has changed, retroactively to 2021. For July, the US statistics agency previously reported a core inflation of 3.3% (excluding energy and food), now it shows 3.0%. For August, 3.0% was recorded, although economists had expected 3.3%. On paper, this is a clear decline. Three areas were adjusted: software, legal consulting, and asset management. The last one best illustrates the problem. An advisor charges a 1% fee on your portfolio. If the stock market rises by 20%, you pay 20% more in dollars, even though he has never raised his rate. Statistics had previously counted this as a price increase. In May, this inflation was at 21.6%; using the new method, it would be 14.3%. The Canadian bank RBC estimates that the new method alone pushes core inflation down by about 0.18 percentage points, mainly due to software. A large part of today’s decline is thus purely a matter of calculation. Even on Wall Street, the number is read cautiously. BNY strategist John Velis advises treating any softer value after the adjustment as a statistical correction. His conclusion: less noise, the same amount of inflation. Why this matters: Two weeks ago, the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time since 2023 to 3.75% to 4.00%. 16 out of 18 members expect another increase this year. This inflation figure is what decides that and it impacts credit rates, mortgages, and the direction of stocks and Bitcoin. On paper, inflation has decreased today. At the supermarket checkout, however, no one notices anything. If you are interested in such macro insights and they help you, feel free to interact with the post. 🧡 #Inflation #USMarkt #Wirtschaft (translated)

EDEKA will take over 178 Tegut stores: +++ The Federal Cartel Office warns of concentration in the food retail sector +++ Only four of the large retail chains currently account for more than 90 percent of sales in the food retail sector +++ https://t.co/UyoAa7tMAE #Lebensmittelhandel #EDEKA #Monopol #DE (translated)