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What consumers can expect from import taxes as the US sets new tariff rates

By DEE-ANN DURBIN and ANNE D'INNOCENZIO - Associated Press | Aug 1, 2025

Damian Dovarganes, Associated Press

Trucks transporting containers undergo X-ray scanning at entry gates at the Long Beach Container Terminal (LBCT), one of the most advanced, fully automated container terminals in the U.S., with the the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge in the background at the Port of Long Beach, Calif., Thursday, July 31, 2025.

It’s been almost 100 years since the U.S. had tariffs at the level they could reach next Friday.

Once President Donald Trump’s planned tariffs take effect, Americans will see an average tax of 18.3% for imported products, the highest rate since 1934, according to the Budget Lab at Yale, a non-partisan policy research center.

Late Thursday, Trump ordered new tariff rates for 66 countries, the European Union, Taiwan and the Falkland Islands. Among them: a 40% tariff on imports from Laos, a 39% tariff on goods from Switzerland and a 30% tariff on South African products.

Other trade partners, such as Cambodia and Bangladesh, had the tax rates on their exports to the U.S. reduced from levels the president had threatened to impose. Trump postponed the start date for all of the changes from Friday until Aug. 7.

Tariffs are a tax, and U.S. consumers are likely to foot at least part of the bill. The Budget Lab estimated that prices will increase 1.8% in the short term as a result of the trade war the U.S. waged this year. That’s the equivalent of a $2,400 loss of income per U.S. household, the group said.

Companies are dealing with tariffs in various ways. Many automakers appear to be swallowing tariff costs for now. But the world’s largest eyewear maker, EssilorLuxottica, said it raised U.S. prices due to tariffs. The maker of Ray-Bans grinds lenses and sunglasses in Mexico, Thailand and China and exports premium frames from Italy.

“Retailers have been able to hold the line on pricing so far, but the new tariffs will impact merchandise in the coming weeks,” David French, chief lobbyist for the National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, said Friday. “We have heard directly from small retailers who are concerned about their ability to stay in business in the face of these unsustainable tariff rates.”

Here’s what we know about the tariffs and what their impact will be on U.S. consumers:

How we got here

Trump unveiled sweeping import taxes on goods coming into the U.S. from nearly every country in April. He said the “reciprocal” tariffs were meant to boost domestic manufacturing and restore fairness to global trade.

The president paused the country-specific tariffs a week later but applied a 10% tax to most imports. In early July, he began notifying countries that the higher tariffs would go into effect Aug. 1 unless they reached trade deals.

In announcing the new rates for dozens of countries on Thursday, Trump delayed their implementation until Aug. 7.

In the meantime, he announced a 35% tariff on imports from Canada would take effect Friday. But Trump delayed action on Mexico and China while negotiations continue.

Other duties not specific to countries also remained in place Friday, like a 50% tariff on imported aluminum and steel announced in June.

What tariffs are in place already

The Trump administration reached deals with the European Union, Japan and South Korea that put 15% tariffs in place. A deal with the Philippines puts 19% tariffs in place while a deal with Vietnam imposes a 20% levy. This week, Trump announced a 25% tariff on goods from India and ordered a 50% tariff on goods from Brazil.

Tariffs are being challenged in court

The U.S. Court of International Trade, a federal court that specializes in trade disputes, ruled in May that Trump exceeded his authority when he invoked an emergency powers law to implement tariffs.

On Thursday, an 11-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals considered the case, and judges expressed skepticism that Trump could impose tariffs without congressional approval. The case is expected to wind up before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Tariffs are already impacting prices

The U.S. Commerce Department said Thursday that prices rose 2.6% in June, up from an annual pace of 2.4% in May and higher than the Federal Reserve’s goal of 2%. Furniture, computers and other items that often come from abroad were among the categories with higher average prices.

Wendong Zhang, an associate professor in the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University, said U.S. consumers could see prices increases in the coming months for appliances and other products that contain a large amount of steel and aluminum.

But Zhang said a 15% tariff doesn’t mean prices will immediately rise by 15%. Companies were aware of the tariff deadlines, and tried to stockpile goods and take other measures to mitigate the impacts, he said.

Some Americans will see benefits

Zhang noted that Trump’s trade deals often contain specific provisions designed to boost U.S. exports. The agreement with the European Union, for example, calls for European companies to purchase $750 billion worth of natural gas, oil and nuclear fuel from the U.S. over three years.

Some U.S. farmers could also see a potential upside, Zhang said. As part of its trade deal, Vietnam agreed to purchase $2 billion in U.S. agricultural products over three years, including corn, wheat and soybeans, according to the International Trade Council.

But Zhang cautioned that agricultural agreements tend to be short-lived. Over the longer term, the uncertainty over tariffs could cause countries like China to back away from U.S. agricultural markets, he said.

Food and drink prices will climb

The tariffs will almost certainly result in higher food prices, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Tax Foundation. The U.S. simply doesn’t make enough of some products, like bananas or coffee, to satisfy demand. Fish, beer and liquor are also likely to get more expensive, the foundation said.

Ben Aneff, managing partner at Tribeca Wine Merchants and president of the U.S. Wine Trade Alliance, said shoppers would see prices rise 20% to 25% at his store and others starting Friday because of tariffs and the declining value of the dollar.

“Nobody can afford to eat the tariff. It gets passed on,” Aneff said.

Aneff said shoppers haven’t felt the impact from higher duties until now because distributors and retailers accelerated shipments from France and other European Union countries earlier in the year. But with the EU’s tariff rate set to go up to 15% in a week, Aneff expects European wine prices to jump 30% in September.

Clothing and shoe prices are already creeping up

Ninety-seven percent of clothing and shoes sold in the U.S. are imported, primarily from Asia, according to the American Apparel & Footwear Association said. China leads the pack, but companies have been shifting more of their sourcing to Vietnam, Indonesia and India.

Steve Lamar, the trade group’s president and CEO, declined to estimate how much apparel and footwear prices may increase due to tariffs. But companies may offer fewer discounts or drop products starting this fall because they’re too expensive to produce, he said.

Matt Priest, president and CEO of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America, estimates prices for shoes are starting to go up for the back-to-school shopping season. He estimates price increases in the 5% to 10% range.

Car prices hold steady — so far

Some automakers have already raised prices to counteract tariffs. Luxury sports car maker Ferrari said Thursday it was waiting for more details of Trump’s trade deal with the European Union before scaling back a 10% surcharge it put in place in April on most vehicles in the U.S.

But for the most part, automakers haven’t raised prices as they waited for details. Kelley Blue Book, which monitors car pricing, said the average U.S. new car cost $48,907 in June, which was up just $108 from May.

But that could change. General Motors said last week that the impact of the tariffs could get more pronounced in the third quarter of the year. GM has estimated that the tariffs will cost it $4 billion to $5 billion this year.

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AP Business Writer Colleen Barry reported from Milan.

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