GOVERNMENT INTERVENES AMID WORLD CUP STICKERS DROUGHT

Ashortage of World Cup stickers in footballcrazed Argentina is triggering a public commotion and even forcing the government to intervene.

The stickers, a World Cup tradition for decades, are few and far between in Buenos Aires. On Tuesday afternoon, Argentina’s commerce secretary convened the sticker manufacturer, Italian firm Panini SPA, and a local union of kiosk stands that sell the stickers to reach a compromise.

Panini says demand for this year’s World Cup is up by 40 percent compared to the last tournament, outpacing the company’s own expectations and production, according to La Nación. The kiosk union says Panini isn’t providing adequate supply.

The government intervention – a move by an administration known for its unorthodox approaches to issues from inflation to exports – also speaks to the local football craze. Argentines’ sticker fixation in recent days has led to wall-to-wall media coverage, viral comments on social media and endless group chats on Whatsapp bantering about the shortage.