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Business Insider: The UPS chaos shows tariffs have finally arrived on our doorsteps
- US consumers are feeling the pinch of tariffs on small orders shipping into the US.
- The tariffs are also complicating international shipping, customers are finding.
- Problems at UPS have compounded the issue, they say.
Buzz60: Walmart Raises Prices By 45% In 30 Days Due To ‘Magnitude Of The Tariffs’
Something unusual is happening at Walmart. This week, shoppers and workers are spotting big price hikes on toys, groceries, and everyday items.
Some prices are rising by nearly half in just 30 days. People are sharing photos of the new tags online. What’s driving these changes? The answer links back to tariffs announced in Washington, now showing up on America’s store shelves.
Across Walmart locations in the U.S., employees and customers are noticing sharp jumps. Fresh stickers are going up with higher numbers, and shoppers are posting side-by-side photos of old and new tags to show how quickly things have changed.
Much of the first buzz came from Reddit, where Walmart staff uploaded pictures of price changes. These posts quickly spread, giving the public a closer look at how steeply prices are moving in real time.
One of the clearest examples came from sporting goods. A left-handed fishing reel rose from $57.37 in April to $83.26 in May. That’s a 45 percent jump within weeks: proof of just how much tariffs can push prices.
The toy aisle tells a similar story. A Jurassic World T. rex climbed from $39.92 on April 27 to $55 by May 21. A Baby Born doll that cost under $35 in March was nearly $50 two months later. Parents are feeling the pinch.
Walmart makes about 60 percent of its U.S. sales from groceries. Even small increases here can affect millions of families. Cocoa powder, for example, jumped from $3.44 in 2024 to $6.18 in 2025, showing that food costs are not immune.
The main reason is tariffs. In April, President Donald Trump announced a 10 percent tax on imports. Vendors passed these costs on to Walmart, and Walmart says it can’t absorb them all without raising prices for shoppers.
Doug McMillon, Walmart’s CEO, put it simply: “We’ll keep prices as low as possible, but given the magnitude of the tariffs, we can’t take on all the pressure.” For a low-margin retailer, the math leaves little choice.
Walmart’s size means these changes affect huge numbers of people. As of July 31, 2025, Walmart runs 5,206 stores in the U.S., including 4,606 Walmart locations and 600 Sam’s Clubs. When Walmart prices shift, millions of households notice.
Walmart makes most of its money by selling lots of goods at low prices. Its thin profit margins mean that even small increases in supply costs show up quickly at checkout. Tariffs hit this model directly.
Tariffs were announced in April. By May, Walmart was already raising prices. That short gap shows how quickly higher import costs move from global trade decisions to store shelves.
Walmart isn’t alone. Many U.S. companies are also adjusting prices upward. The toy industry has warned that nearly every retailer relying on Chinese imports will feel the strain.
Most toys sold in the U.S. are made in China. That means nearly every part of the toy supply chain now costs more. With no way to absorb those costs, stores pass them to parents.
When asked about toy prices, Trump downplayed concerns: “Maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls.” His remark fueled debate about whether tariffs really protect U.S. jobs… or mainly just raise costs for families.
Online, shoppers are voicing anger. Many share receipts or photos showing items marked up by double digits in a matter of weeks. Some say they’re cutting back or shopping elsewhere, but most note Walmart has few low-cost rivals.
CFO John David Rainey told reporters that Walmart’s strategy remains strong, but protecting profits while prices rise is a challenge. For now, the company is focused on managing growth and costs at the same time.
Economists warn that if tariffs continue, more categories, from electronics to clothing—could rise in price. Long-term pressure may shift how families spend and how stores compete.
For the millions who shop Walmart weekly, a 30 to 40 percent increase on basics adds up fast. Families already stretched by inflation say they feel these hikes directly in their budgets.
With prices climbing, shoppers and experts are calling for more clear labeling about why costs are rising. Some want receipts or shelf tags to show when tariffs, not just supply shortages, are driving increases.
For now, Walmart is passing costs along as tariffs take hold. Whether things settle depends on trade policy in the months ahead.
What started as a government decision is now being felt in the everyday purchases of millions of Americans.
GO Banking Rates: Trump Said He’d Lower Grocery Prices on Day 1: See Where They Stand Now
During President Donald Trump’s campaign before winning the 2024 presidential election, he promised on his first day of office to “immediately bring prices down, starting on Day One” for groceries — but that hasn’t happened so far.
Average food prices in the United States have increased by 2.9% in the 12 months ending July 2025, according to U.S. inflation calculator. It’s a few ticks higher than the 2.7% inflation rate across all categories. The Federal Reserve’s preferred core inflation metric shows a 3.1% year-over-year increase, since it doesn’t include volatile food and energy prices. Trump has done well with energy, as those prices have dropped by 1.6% year-over-year.
He’s shown an ability to follow up on promises and even has lower energy prices, but grocery prices still remain elevated. There are a few reasons why that’s the case, and some of them are connected to Trump’s policies.
Tariffs Are a Key Component
After some false starts and negotiations with trading partners, tariffs are now in effect, and they have been contributing to higher food prices. Grocery stores like Walmart and Whole Foods have to hike their prices to keep up with the tariffs.
Although critics may question why Walmart, a global retailer that reported more than $7 billion in consolidated net income in Q2 FY26, has to raise prices, it makes sense. Despite Walmart’s vast retail presence and high profits, the company only operates on a 2.5% to 4% net profit margin, depending on the quarter. If prices go up by 10%, Walmart has to respond to the higher prices to preserve a positive profit margin.
The Tax Foundation projects that nearly 75% of all U.S. food imports will be affected by Trump’s tariffs. If tariffs linger or get higher in the future, it can lead to a short-term price hike in food prices. That short-term price hike would only decrease if some tariffs got negotiated away or the U.S. produced enough food to balance the supply-and-demand dynamics.
Beefy Price Hikes
The grocery bill looks different for each person based on what they buy, but if you like to eat beef, grocery inflation will show up more for you.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) found that retail beef and veal prices increased for the seventh month in a row from June 2025 to July 2025. Beef and veal prices increased by 2.5% month-over-month and are up by 11.3% year-over-year. The USDA anticipates beef and veal prices going up by 9.9% in 2025. Tight supplies of beef and veal are playing a role in the elevated prices.
Beef and veal are the main headliners, but other food categories are also due for higher prices. Eggs, sugar and sweets, and nonalcoholic beverages are also expected to grow faster than their 20-year historical average rate of growth.
If you’re looking for a deal, you might want to shop around for other meats, fats and oils and fresh vegetables. Those are the food items the USDA expects will see price cuts.
It’s More Expensive To Eat Out
While it’s been known for a while that eating out is more expensive than prepping your own meal, it even applies to inflation rates. The USDA found that grocery store and supermarket food purchases had a 0.1% month-over-month price hike compared to the 0.3% month-over-month price hike for restaurants and other food service providers.
The USDA also shared in research published on Aug. 25 that groceries are up by 2.2% year-over-year, while restaurant food and similar services are up by 3.9% year-over-year. Food as a whole is predicted to become 2.2% more expensive in 2026. The rate of inflation is only expected to be 1.2% for groceries, while dining will cost an additional 3.3% in 2026.
These forecasts do not suggest an immediate solution to rising food prices. Trump still has time to reduce food prices, but tariffs and the USDA’s 2026 projections don’t paint a bright picture for lower food costs.
Trump Said He’d Lower Grocery Prices on Day 1: See Where They Stand Now
Has Trump fulfilled his campaign promises on grocery prices?
https://www.gobankingrates.com/money/economy/trump-lower-grocery-prices-day-1-where-they-stand-now
CNN: End of an era: Billions of packages of ‘cheap’ goods shipped to the US are now subject to steep tariffs
A big change to all the “cheap goods” Americans order just went into effect.
For nearly a century, low-value packages of goods from abroad have entered the United States duty free, thanks to what’s known as the “de minimis rule,” which as of 2015 has applied to packages worth less than $800.
The loophole has reshaped the way countless Americans shop, enabling many small businesses globally to sell goods to US consumers with relative ease and allowing, in particular, ultra-low-cost Chinese e-commerce sites like Shein, Temu and AliExpress to sell everything from clothing to furniture to electronics directly to American shoppers, escaping many duties in place for packages exceeding the $800 threshold.
But those days are over. As of one minute past midnight Eastern Time, all imported goods — regardless of their value — are now subject to 10% to 50% tariff rates, depending on their country of origin. (In certain cases, they could face a flat fee of $80 to $200, but only for the next six months.)
A headache for delivery services
Ahead of the expiration of the de minimis rule, a slew of delivery services across Europe, as well as Japan, Australia, Taiwan and Mexico suspended deliveries to the United States, citing logistical compliance challenges.
International shipper UPS, meanwhile, said in a statement to CNN Thursday: “We stand ready for the new changes and do not anticipate any backlogs or delays.”
DHL, which suspended service for standard parcel shipments from Germany but is continuing to ship international packages to the United States from all other countries it serves, told CNN that shipments “may experience delays during the transitional period as all parties adjust to the changes in tariff policy and regulation.”
The United States Postal Service and FedEx declined to comment on whether customers should anticipate delays.
“Our systems are fully programmed and equipped to support the seamless implementation of these changes. CBP has prepared extensively for this transition and stands ready with a comprehensive strategy, having provided clear and timely guidance to supply chain partners, including foreign postal operators, carriers, and qualified third parties to ensure compliance with the new rules.
Susan Thomas, the acting executive assistant commissioner for Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Trade, told CNN in a statement that the agency’s systems “are fully programmed and equipped to support the seamless implementation of these changes.”
“CBP has prepared extensively for this transition and stands ready with a comprehensive strategy, having provided clear and timely guidance to supply chain partners, including foreign postal operators, carriers, and qualified third parties to ensure compliance with the new rules,” she said.
A potential benefit for some American small businesses
While some small businesses, like some individual consumers, have benefited from the de minimis exemption by purchasing goods duty-free, the end of the exemption may benefit some, too.
For Steve Raderstorf, co-owner of Scrub Identity, which sells scrubs and other medical apparel at two stores located in Indianapolis, the tariff change will “level the playing field” for him and, he believes, other small business owners, he said.
A 2023 report by Coalition for a Prosperous America, a group that advocates for US producers and manufacturers, estimates that e-commerce giants like Amazon and Walmart took in hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue in 2022 through their networks of third-party sellers who took advantage of the loophole.
Raderstorf said almost all the goods he sells are imported. But as a small business, he doesn’t have the ability to set up a third-party network to tap into the exemption. Instead, his imported goods are all subject to applicable tariffs.
Additionally, many of the foreign manufacturers from whom he purchases goods in bulk in order to get a better price have benefited from de minimis by setting up sites to sell directly to people who could have otherwise shopped at his stores.
With de minimis gone, he feels small businesses have a better chance to compete more fairly with mega retailers and also support their local communities more.
“When somebody comes to my door and they want me to support the local football team or baseball team, I have money to do that then, and then it gets back into the community,” he told CNN. “When it goes to China, it never, ever stays in the United States — it’s gone for good.”
Since the de minimis exemption was closed for China and Hong Kong, CBP has seen packages that would have otherwise qualified for duty-free status go down from an average of 4 million a day to 1 million, White House officials told reporters Thursday.
Raderstorf is empathetic to Americans who are concerned about the increased cost of goods — but at the same time, he’s hopeful it’s “going to push them back out into their communities to meet their local retailers.”
Alternet: Donald Trump just debunked his own lie — and it should get him sued | Opinion
Walmart, Apple , and Amazon, the most successful companies in the U.S., base their corporate strategies on data: consumer behavior data, market research, financial, product, and competitive analysis data.
Any CEO who deliberately relied on falsified data, or who demanded cooked books, would be fired immediately — and likely sued by the Board of Directors.
Any CEO of any company who tried to manipulate the appearance of short-term success for his own personal gain, at the expense of long-term viability for the company, would also be fired and likely sued for malfeasance, and worse.
A successful CEO knows that falsifying economic or financial data can lead to charges of securities fraud, wire fraud, and other financial crimes, because false data can ruin investors, corporations, and markets overnight.
Enter Donald Trump, whose self-proclaimed governing philosophy is “running the country like it’s a business.” Debunking the lie of his own manufactured image as a “successful businessman,” last Friday Trump angrily fired the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner because he didn’t like her data — even as he wears 34 felony convictions for falsifying records.
Dr. Erika McEntarfer, a widely respected statistician, enjoyed bipartisan support, including confirmation votes from Marco Rubio and JD Vance. Appointed commissioner under the Biden administration, she holds a Ph.D. in economics from Virginia Tech, and served at the Census Bureau for two decades under both parties prior to her BLS appointment.
By federal law, McEntarfer’s appointment ends in 2028. Trump fired her anyway because he was embarrassed by jobs data that didn’t match his own hype.
In May, the White House said that April’s jobs report “proved” that Trump was “revitalizing” the economy. In June, Trump posted, “GREAT JOBS NUMBERS.” After the Labor Department released revised jobs figures for those months — a common practice because jobs reports are sample projections that get adjusted when actual employer data come in — Trump fired the messenger.
Trump’s penchant for hiding and falsifying data has put American corporations and the economy in more danger. Just as he scrubbed government websites of climate data to bolster his fossil fuel donors, just as he ordered the Smithsonian to remove an exhibit accurately reflecting his own impeachments, Trump thinks reality is whatever he says it is.
As he fantasizes about returning America to the Gilded Age, where robber barons extracted the earth’s resources for unimaginable profit while laborers worked for starvation wages, he’s forgetting that his oligarch donors need accurate economic data too. At least oligarchs creating real products and delivering real services—as opposed to merely speculating in Trump’s image—need real, reliable, and uncooked data.
McEntarfer should sue
When Trump fired McEntarfer in a social media post, he declared that her numbers were “phony.” He wrote on Friday, “In my opinion, today’s Jobs Numbers were RIGGED in order to make the Republicans, and ME, look bad,” adding: “But, the good news is, our Country is doing GREAT!”
He said the numbers had been manipulated for political purposes, and announced he fired McEntarfer as a result.
Trump also baselessly accused McEntarfer of manipulating jobs numbers before the November election to advantage Kamala Harris. Trump said to reporters, “I believe the numbers were phony, just like they were before the election, and there were other times. So you know what I did? I fired her, and you know what? I did the right thing.”
When asked what his source was, he said, “my opinion,” confirming that there was no evidence to back up his reckless claims, claims that permanently tanked the reputation of a celebrated career professional.
Presidents not immune from civil prosecution
No doubt Trump slurred McEntarfer based on his own “opinion” to avoid defamation liability, but an opinion that implies a false fact is still defamatory, it is still actionable, and presidents are not immune from civil lawsuits for defamation.
The four legal elements of defamation are easily found here: false statement; publication; negligence in repeating the falsehood; and reputational harm.
More, a president has immunity from civil lawsuits only for actions taken in furtherance of his core constitutional powers. One of the main “core constitutional powers” of a president is ensuring the faithful execution of laws, such that acting to impede the execution of federal law would fall outside core official responsibilities. (As an aside, even under the disastrous Trump v. US criminal immunity ruling, Trump’s J6 conduct would likely have fallen outside his core function, had it proceeded to trial.)
Trump knowingly and intentionally lied about the BLS commissioner in a manner that directly conflicts with the Department of Labor’s statutory mission; as such, it was not a “core Constitutional function.” Announcing that previous labor reports were “falsified” causes immediate reputational harm to the Commissioner, the Department of Labor, and the US economy overall. It directly impedes the accurate compilation of labor data, a charge mandated by the Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933 as well as the Fair Labor Standards Act.
By implicitly directing that all future US data should be falsified to suit his own political narrative, Trump’s statements not only harm America’s economy, but they hinder rather than aid the faithful execution of laws.
As McEntarfer’s predecessor puts it, McEntarfer’s “totally groundless firing” sets a dangerous precedent and “undermines the statistical mission of the bureau.”
“We need accurate Jobs Numbers,” Trump told reporters, suggesting McEntarfer’s jobs numbers weren’t.
“She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified,” he added, suggesting McEntarfer was neither.
Missing the risible irony as he seeks manipulated jobs data for his own political purposes, Trump added, “Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can’t be manipulated for political purposes.”
https://www.alternet.org/alternet-exclusives/trump-lie-debunked
Daily Mail: Walmart hit by ‘immediate crisis’ as mass firings begin
Walmart employees are saying they’re losing coworkers overnight. The retailer, America’s largest private employer, is complying with a sweeping Supreme Court decision that allowed the Trump administration to revoke work protections for half a million migrant employees. Walmart staffers are saying the company is responding with quick staffing cuts in stores. They’re worried there aren’t enough workers.
‘Anyone else just lose a bunch of employees to Trump policy?’ a Redditor asked in a thread dedicated to Walmart. ‘[My store] just lost 10 employees who were here on work visa.’ Another claimed their store lost 40 staffers at a 400-worker store, representing 10 percent of the workforce. They said remaining employees are now scrambling to keep stores running. Some said their store is turning to elderly employees to fill the gap. ‘Most of our older floor associates are constantly asking for help,’ another added. ‘It’s not really ideal.’
Retail experts told DailyMail.com that the impact on consumers at affected stores is likely temporary and regional. ‘This disruption is real, but it’s more of a speed bump than a roadblock for a company that’s weathered much worse,’ Carol Spieckerman, a global retail expert, said. ‘This is just the latest curveball for Walmart — after navigating inflation , potential tariffs, and economic uncertainty, they’ve become experts at adaptation. The impact won’t be uniform. States closer to the border will feel this more acutely than stores in the heartland.’
Style on Main: Target And Walmart Sound Alarm Over Retail ‘Collapse’ As Shelves Go Empty
For years, “retail apocalypse” headlines have cried wolf. Many blamed Amazon, others warned of overbuilt malls, but most claims fizzled. What’s happening now is different. Target just slashed its 2025 outlook after a brutal quarter, projecting a “low-single digit decline” in annual sales. Walmart’s CEO Doug McMillon has gone straight to President Trump with warnings that store shelves may soon run dry.
These aren’t fringe forecasts, they’re direct signals from America’s largest retailers. For the first time, retail’s titans are sounding the same alarm. The collapse isn’t theoretical anymore. Behind the aisles, a perfect storm of tariffs, supply chain chaos, and consumer panic is brewing.
Target And Walmart Sound Alarm Over Retail ‘Collapse’ As Shelves Go Empty
WWD Instagram For years, “retail apocalypse” headlines have cried wolf. Many blamed Amazon, others warned of overbuilt malls, but most claims fizzled. What’s happening now is different. Target just slashed its 2025 outlook after a
CNN: Trump warns America’s businesses: Eat my tariffs, or pay the price
President Donald Trump is sending a stern warning to Corporate America: He will use his bully pulpit to publicly shame companies that dare to raise prices because of tariffs.
Walmart:
After Walmart last week said it would have to jack up some prices because of high costs of the global trade war, Trump on Saturday responded forcefully in a Truth Social post, demanding Walmart reverse its decision.
“Walmart should STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain,” Trump said. “Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, “EAT THE TARIFFS,” and not charge valued customers ANYTHING. I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!”
The rebuke was the White House’s third such public reprimand of a big American business that discussed the possibility of raising prices because of the steep cost of tariffs.
Amazon:
On April 29, after Amazon reportedly considered displaying an additional tariff charge next to the listed price on its Haul platform, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt at a press briefing held up a photo of Amazon Chairman Jeff Bezos and called the move a “hostile and political act.” Trump, whom a senior official described as “pissed,” called Bezos to complain, saying the company’s founder “solved the problem very quickly.”
Amazon said that although it was considering displaying the tariff cost, the plan was ultimately not approved and “not going to happen.”
Mattel:
A week later, on May 6, Trump threatened a 100% tariff on Mattel after the Barbie and Hot Wheels maker said it would have to raise prices. Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz said Trump’s tariffs won’t bring toy manufacturing to America, because toys couldn’t be manufactured in America and still be sold at affordable prices.
“We don’t see that happening,” Kreiz told CNBC after Mattel warned that tariffs will increase toy prices for American consumers.
Trump fired back from the Oval Office, threatening the company and its CEO.
“We’ll put a 100% tariff on his toys, and he won’t sell one toy in the United States, and that’s their biggest market,” Trump said. “I wouldn’t wanna have him as an executive too long.”
Trump = a narcissistic bully suffering a severe case of arrested development!
Trump warns big business: Eat my tariffs, or pay the price | CNN Business
President Trump used his bully pulpit to warn America’s businesses about raising prices due to tariffs.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/19/business/trump-tariffs-price-consumers
Newsweek: Donald Trump issues new warning message to Walmart
President Donald Trump warned Walmart on Saturday against raising its prices, writing on Truth Social that he will “be watching.”
“Walmart should STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain. Walmart made BILLIONS OF DOLLARS last year, far more than expected. Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, ‘EAT THE TARIFFS,’ and not charge valued customers ANYTHING,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
“I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!”
It’s not surprising that Trump got this so wrong, give that he has bankrupted SIX businesses over the years.
A corporation has a fiduciary duty to maximize its profits for the benefit of its SHAREHOLDERS, not to cater to the whims of a corrupt self-serving narcissistic political apparatchik in Washington, D.C.
Donald Trump issues new warning message to Walmart
The president told the retail giant to “EAT THE TARIFFS!”
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-issues-new-warning-message-walmart-2073638