Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods continue to affect prices in the United States

American consumers have felt the financial impact of tariffs on a variety of Chinese products since the measures imposed by President Donald Trump in 2018. According to a report published by CNN, luggage and footwear, for example, have seen prices increase significantly in recent years due to the applied tariffs.

President Joe Biden, who has previously criticized Trump’s tariffs, opted to keep them in place after a review by his administration, including increasing duties on some of the affected products, such as electric vehicles and semiconductors from China. The tariffs, which are not paid by China but by American importers, affect approximately $300 billion in goods.

A suitcase that once cost $100 is now $160, while a carry-on has gone from $425 to $700, according to Tiffany Zarfas Williams, owner of Luggage Shop of Lubbock, Texas. Williams said that as an independent retailer, she has had to pass on these price increases to consumers to offset the additional costs imposed by brand-name distributors.

According to experts in the apparel and footwear industry, tariffs have contributed significantly to the inflation seen in recent years in the United States. Matt Priest, president of Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America, said there is a clear correlation between tariffs and rising shoe prices in the United States.

While the tariffs are intended to protect American industries from unfair trade practices by China, business leaders and trade groups have expressed concerns that the measures are increasing costs for consumers without addressing underlying issues such as intellectual property and forced technology transfer.