Planet Money Paper Club

One reason the $70 billion supplement industry is set to double in the next seven years? Lax regulation.On today's show, we tell the story of a century-long battle between the U.S. government and … you, the people, blinded by your love of a magic pill.We’re talking about protein ...  Show more

Have you ever walked around a street, mall, or airport and noticed two or three of the same franchise restaurant within walking distance? Why might one Starbucks or McDonald’s or Wetzel’s Pretzels sometimes be built so close to another? Are they friends or competitors? And how ca ...  Show more

Government. The Big G. We like to imagine the free market and the invisible hand as being independent from political influence. But Nobel laureate, Simon Johnson, says that influence has been there since the birth of economics. Call it political economy. Call it government and bu ...  Show more

People are spending loads of cash on events. In addition, lots of folks are even making trips out of specific events like the Olympics or Taylor Swift concerts. This sports and music tourism industry is gaining momentum among Millennials and Gen Z, so much that it’s heading for p ...  Show more

When it comes to women controlling their own economic destinies, perhaps nothing has had a more profound impact than the contraceptive pill. But the US may be on the cusp of change. Earlier this year, the Trump administration froze some federal funding for subsidised access to co ...  Show more

Joe Rogan signed a deal with Spotify in 2020 for $250m. That deal has inspired many more multi-million dollar superstar podcast deals like Trevor Noah, the Kelce brothers and Alex Cooper. So in the $20B podcast industry, is there any room for smaller creators to make money? Or is ...  Show more