How much?
World Cup season is almost upon us. You know what that means. A sense of false hope lingering through the air for the next few months. And everyone going mad for panini stickers.
The PANINI 2018 FIFA World Cupâ„¢ Official Sticker Collection is OUT NOW!! #GotGotNeed pic.twitter.com/rgXGhLUn4p
— Panini UK & Ireland (@OfficialPanini) March 22, 2018
The activity of collecting stickers of footballers to stick into a book normally reserved for children, but an exception is made for international tournaments. Grown men and women desperately trying to find anyone with a Marouane Fellaini, it’s glorious isn’t it?
Well, it would be if it wasn’t so damn expensive. Football fans keen to get stuck in to this race against the clock to complete the sticker book are up in arms about the price of stickers this year, after they were priced at 80p per pack. That is a 60% increase from Euro 2016.
Of course, inflation plays a part, but this seems to be a greedy move from Panini, and fans are not happy.
I think Panini have absolutely smashed the elasticity of demand at 80p a pack and nearly 700 stickers. Astounding. #economics
— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonESPN) March 22, 2018
#GotGotGreed
Blimey. Panini World Cup stickers up from 50p to 80p a packet! I managed to complete the 1986 album – could cost as much as £600 for my 8 year old to complete this year’s. #gotgotgreed https://t.co/StF8A8DuVx
— Pete Moorey (@petemoorey) March 23, 2018
The price increase is not enough to put some people off though.
If Panini think I’m foolish enough to spend 80p per five stickers then they’re absolutely right! pic.twitter.com/9cMD5hhVFg
— Mike Thomas (@MikeyRThomas) March 22, 2018
Figure of the day: £600 – the cost of completing the 2018 Panini World Cup sticker album!
— simon read (@simonnread) March 22, 2018
With the Panini stickers price increase of 60% per pack, it could easily cost me over £700 if my two boys want to complete their albums, even factoring in swaps #gotgotgreed
— Gary Taphouse (@garytaphouse) March 23, 2018
You really have to feel for the parents whose children desperately want to start collecting the stickers, as it could set them back around £600 to complete the book.
There are only five stickers in a pack, and with 682 stickers to collect, it doesn’t seem worth the time and effort. Thanks for ruining everyone’s harmless fun, Panini.