Tariffs are a hidden tax on American consumers, Walmart, Apple and other retail giants tell US trade panel
An industry group representing Walmart, Target, Apple and other major US retailers has urged the Trump administration to remove more than 650 items from a list of Chinese imports subject to future tariffs, saying that US consumers would be the ones hardest hit.
"Consumers, not China, will ultimately be the ones paying the tariffs imposed on millions of consumer products," the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) said on Thursday.
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US retailers have already been hit hard by the administration's import taxes and tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico, China and the EU, and the new round of tariffs will only inflict more pain.
"The administration made the commitment to put minimum pain on consumers," Quach said. "We urge the administration to keep that commitment to the American people."
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The association asked that more than 650 items be removed from the proposed list of products subject to duties, saying they "will make the items Americans use every day less affordable".
"Need a new mattress? Better buy it soon," she said. "Mattresses are on the proposed 301 tariff list; 301 is a bed tax. Replacing a light bulb will be more expensive because of the tariff " 301 is a double tax every time you turn on the lights."
"Everything you need to get ready in the morning " from bar soap, make-up, electric shavers, hair appliances and accessories, even your toilet paper, will get hit with the 301 tariff," she said.
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Retailers have started looking for ways to mitigate the cost increases. Walmart has asked its beauty suppliers to consider sourcing products from countries other than China, media reports this week said.
Walmart's chief financial officer, Brett Biggs, said in an earnings call last week that the company was "closely monitoring the tariff discussions" and was "actively working on mitigation strategies, particularly in light of potentially escalating duties."
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In July, Apple CEO Tim Cook reiterated the company's position that tariffs could have "unintended consequences" for both consumers and the economy.
In defending the tariffs, the Trump administration has cited China's ambition to become a world leader in tech and innovation, detailed in the "Made in China 2025" plan.
The Information Technology Industry Council, which represents global technology companies such as Google and Samsung, said the administration should focus on China's cybersecurity law, not its tech programme.
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
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