New research examines how inflation is affecting consumers and retailers, and how they are both adapting their shopping habits and retail strategies in response. Inflation is on the march globally. While inflation declined sharply in the early stages of the pandemic amid a collapse in demand and oil prices, it picked up in mid-2020 and in July 2022, global inflation reached its highest level since the mid-1990s. While it has eased somewhat, the World Bank says the global inflation rate remains significantly above the pre-pandemic average.