Warning new American tariffs on EU food will boost prices, cost U.S. jobs
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New 25% U.S. tariffs on Italian cheese, French wine, Scotch whisky, British biscuits, Spanish olives and thousands of other European food products will lead to higher prices ahead of the holiday season and cost American jobs, trade groups warned.
The U.S. Trade Representative’s Office said on Wednesday it was imposing tariffs on hundreds of European products after the World Trade Organization gave the green light to the action in response to EU subsidies on large aircraft.
The Specialty Food Association said in a statement the tariffs would decrease sales and adversely impact U.S employment at 14,000 speciality food retailers and 20,000 other food retailers across the United States. The impact would be “dramatic,” the trade group said.
Higher prices “will hit Americans in the wallet just as the holiday season is approaching,” the group said. “The cheese/charcuterie board that currently cost you $45 will put you back $60 after tariffs. The treats you provide your family to celebrate Thanksgiving and the year-end holidays may become out of reach.”
Single-malt whisky represented over half of the total value of British products on the U.S. tariff list, amounting to over $460 million, according to the Scotch Whisky Association.
This week’s tariffs on Scotch whisky, liqueurs and cordials, and wine could affect nearly $3.4 billion in imports “and could lead to a loss of approximately 13,000 U.S. jobs, including truckers, farmers, and bartenders and servers in the hospitality industry,” the Distilled Spirits Council said.
Since the new EU tariffs, American whiskey exports have declined 21 percent.
