The business of political polarization

For nearly seven decades, household cleaning product maker Ypê has lived a placid commercial life. Founded in the countryside of São Paulo (and valued at BRL 3.6 billion, or USD 732 million), the company is the second-most ubiquitous brand in Brazilian homes, trailing only Coca-Cola. But over the past few days, it became the country's newest partisan battleground.

The trouble began on Thursday, when Anvisa, Brazil's federal health regulator, ordered a suspension of the manufacture and sale of certain detergents, disinfectants and liquid laundry soaps. Inspectors had flagged faults in the production process and a risk of microbiological contamination. The company that owns the Ypê brand secured an injunction but kept the affected lines paused while it addresses the regulator's findings.