Toy stores could go bust under Trump’s proposed international tariffs

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The price of toys may soar if Donald Trump carries through on his vow to impose exorbitant international tariffs, leading to the closure of many independent retailers. The National Retail Federation predicts Trump’s proposed tariffs could reduce Americans’ spending power by up to $78bn a year Research conducted by the National Retail Federation examined the impact of the proposed tariffs on apparel, furniture, household appliances, footwear, travel goods, and toys. Experts at the Peterson Institute for International Economics have similarly warned that a 60 percent tariff on Chinese exports would be a “major shock to international goods markets” – and the toy market specifically. "While toys seem like products for which substitute sellers would be readily available, China maintains a dominant position in toy production for several reasons, including its not-easily-reproduced capacity to produce materials that meet US product safety standards," they wrote in a blog post earlier this month.