Companies are making it clear to customers that some rising prices are down to President Donald Trump‘s slew of tariffs on international trade.
Why It Matters
Trump announced his sweeping tariff agenda on April 2, which he dubbed “Liberation Day.” The White House says the wide-reaching tariffs have been brought in to tackle “large and persistent annual U.S. goods trade deficits.” Varying rates have been placed on almost all U.S. trade partners, but a baseline 10-percent tariff on all U.S. imports is now active.
What To Know
Several companies have made it clear to U.S. customers when purchasing products that price rises are a result of the Trump administration’s tariff agenda.
The founder of Jolie Skin, which makes filtered-water showerheads, Ryan Babenzien has confirmed his plan for a dedicated “Trump Liberation Tariff” on goods bought by customers.
“Technically WE are not raising our prices, but the Tariff will make it more expensive for American consumers to buy a Jolie,” he said in a post on LinkedIn. “We think transparency is the way to go here and I am giving Trump full credit for his decision to add this Tariff to all U.S. consumers.”
“While we have been planning for an increase in tariff’s for about a year at Jolie, we never thought it would be this insane.”
Chip Somodevilla/GETTY
Dame, a sexual-wellness company, has also added what it calls a “Trump Tariff Surcharge” of $5 to orders.
“Our whole industry is in China, so we’ve already seen the impact,” Alexandra Fine, Dame’s chief executive, told CBS Moneywatch. China, which accounts for nearly a third of all goods imported into the U.S., faces levies of up to 145 percent for some items.
“The intention of adding the Trump tariff surcharge as a line item at checkout was to remind people that this is an extra tax on us,” Fine said. “I wanted people to understand why it’s more expensive—that it’s because of political decisions that were made.”
Reports from social media also indicate other companies are applying similar tactics. Fabletics, a lifestyle brand that sells sportswear, shoes and accessories, has reportedly implemented a tariff surcharge on bills, according to a post on X, formerly Twitter, by journalist Brian Krassenstein. On a bill of $367.62, a tariff surcharge of $44.09 was implemented, bringing the total cost to $411.71—a 12-percent increase in price.
Newsweek has contacted Fabletics for comment via email outside of regular working hours.
What People Are Saying
The White House in a press release issued on April 2: “President Trump refuses to let the United States be taken advantage of and believes that tariffs are necessary to ensure fair trade, protect American workers, and reduce the trade deficit.”
President Donald Trump said on Truth Social on April 7: “We have massive Financial Deficits with China, the European Union, and many others. The only way this problem can be cured is with TARIFFS, which are now bringing Tens of Billions of Dollars into the U.S.A. They are already in effect, and a beautiful thing to behold.”
What’s Next
Whether more companies will begin adding dedicated tariff charges that can be seen by the customer when ordering or on a receipt remains to be seen. Some companies have urged shoppers to buy now before the full impact of tariffs kicks in.