Please contact apolk@fdra.org for any media interviews on this topic.
Background:
President Trump announced via Twitter on August 1st that the U.S. will impose added tariffs of 10 percent on the remaining $300 billion in goods from China. This decision includes all footwear from China.
Update (8/13): President Trump has delayed the additional 10% duty on certain types of footwear until December 15th, but will impose tariffs for other types of footwear on September 1st. FDRA’s President and CEO Matt Priest issued the following statement:
“The announcement today that the Trump Administration will be delaying the additional 10% tariff on some footwear until December 1st is an acknowledgement that tariffs are indeed paid by Americans. It is no coincidence that the Administration is allowing certain shoes to come in without raising taxes in hopes that prices do not rise at retail during the holidays. Our industry’s loud unified voice left a clear impression that shoe tariffs are already extremely high, upwards of 67.5%, and any further tariffs would directly raise costs on consumers and cost footwear jobs. While we are pleased with the decision to delay new tariffs on certain shoes, we are not satisfied. We will continue to fight for any exclusions on new tariffs and we will fight to delay new tariffs on shoes until the entire tariff threat is lifted off the backs of American families.”
99% of all shoes sold in America are imported, 70% of all shoe imports are from China. Footwear tariffs are already some of the highest on any consumer good, averaging 11% but reaching upwards of 48% and 67.5% on certain footwear types. Adding an additional 10% on top of these tariffs mean higher prices for consumers. In 2018 alone, consumers paid $7 billion more than needed at checkout. Another 10% on top of that means consumers would pay nearly $10 billion more for their shoes each year thanks to tariffs. Learn more here.