
Source:REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
[Saba Sports News] Recently, shuttlecock prices have continued to rise, with topics like “shuttlecock price increase exceeds gold” and “shuttlecock prices surge” trending on social media. The price of some shuttlecock models has directly doubled, with some saying “the price of 3 tubes is catching up to 1 gram of gold”. Changing supply and demand relationships leading to price fluctuations is a classic case study, and shuttlecocks are a typical example. Looking at demand, the popularity of badminton has soared in recent years, simultaneously causing a surge in demand for consumables like shuttlecocks. The supply of raw materials for natural feathers is tight, causing price increases that are ultimately passed on to the retail end. Meanwhile, the recycling and repair of used shuttlecocks has become an emerging market. Thus, “This one only has one broken feather, it can still be used for warming up” and finding various ways to study steam treatment techniques to improve durability have become part of the daily training routine for budget-conscious players. Amidst the rising price trend, some worry that badminton might become a “noble sport” in the future. Actually, there’s little need for concern in this aspect; we can trust the role of market mechanisms and have confidence in the supply capacity of Chinese manufacturing.
