A fresh round of Trump tariffs is about to hit store shelves
LA TimesThe U.S. flag flies over a container ship unloading its cargo from Asia at the Port of Long Beach. For the first time since Trump launched his trade war, American households face price increases because many U.S. companies say they’ll be forced to pass on to customers the higher prices they’ll pay on Chinese imports. For more than a year, the world’s two largest economies have been locked in a high-stakes duel marked by Trump’s escalating import taxes on Chinese goods and Beijing’s retaliatory tariffs. When Trump’s new tariffs kick in Sunday, 69% of the consumer goods Americans buy from China will face his import taxes, up from 29% now. “It makes it tough for business owners because we will have to take a hit on our margins, but it will also be difficult for us to pass it on to our shoppers.” Albert Chow, who owns Great Wall Hardware in San Francisco, said he’s already raised prices on some Chinese-made products because an earlier round of tariffs led his suppliers to raise prices 10% to 20%.