It seems like every morning brings a new update on current — and looming — tariffs. These small import taxes on goods have rapidly become a cornerstone of President Trump’s first year back in office — with a dizzying timeline marked by threats, reversals, temporary pauses, and trade deals (sometimes all within a single day).
While President Trump instituted a 10% baseline tariff in early April, the actual tariff percentage can vary widely, reaching up to 40% in certain countries that the President stated are contributing to United States trade deficits or engaging in unfair trading practices. At the same time, as of early August, the administration has announced a handful of trade deals — most recently with South Korea and the European Union — that include a lower tariff rate than what was initially assigned or threatened (15% instead of the threatened 25% for South Korea).
Amidst all of this uncertainty, the impact on American consumers and grocery shoppers has been hard to discern.
If a shopper’s grocery list includes certain heavily imported foods such as fruits, nuts, coffee, and beef, they are more likely to be affected by tariff-related price shocks. And if they live in a region like the Midwest that relies on products from Canada (the second largest supplier of agricultural products to the U.S.), they may be feeling the impact of President Trump’s 35% tariff on imports far more than those living in the Southeast. Not to mention that the Ukraine War, lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and climate-induced supply chain shortages for staples like beef and coffee are all also very real factors that play a role in price changes.
With how integral groceries are to our lives (everyone needs them!), I was curious to know how shoppers from across the country were feeling about tariffs and grocery prices. So I reached out to half a dozen people across the political spectrum to get their perspective. And it turns out, despite varying opinions, everyone is more or less feeling the pinch.
Tyler, a Georgia-based Republican who supports President Trump, sees the tariffs as a necessary pain for long-term American prosperity. He feels that “the tariffs are proving to be an effective bargaining tool — and price hikes on some food staples may be a more than fair price to pay for favorable global trade terms and a more self-reliant food system in the long run.”
Meanwhile Abdoullah, a self-described progressive Democrat from upstate New York, has noticed the rising prices and adjusted his shopping accordingly. “Since the tariffs went into effect, I’ve noticed my grocery totals being higher overall. My dollar does not stretch as far,” he says. “Fruits in particular are now more expensive, so I buy them less often.”
Kim, another progressive Democrat from New Orleans, Louisiana, has noticed similar price increases, as well as grocery shortages she likens to the days after a natural disaster. “A lot of products that I’m used to getting are gone, and the grocery store feels like after a hurricane, where there are big shortages in specific things,” said Kim. “I end up going to more stores, and it takes a while to find specific items, or I give up on the specific dish I’m trying to make.”
Both Kim and Abdoullah estimate that their grocery bills have gone up by roughly 15 to 20% and squarely blame President Trump for the current situation. Abdoullah pointedly stated that “Trump is obviously to blame for the tariffs and the burden they present to everyday Americans. There is no benefit to the average consumer; any alleged benefit is said to arrive in the distant future while millions struggle to put food on the table in the meantime.”
George, a New York City independent who agrees with some elements of Trump’s agenda, falls somewhere in between on price increases. He recognizes the President’s long-term goals but wishes that he would do more to protect consumers from short-term price increases. “I understand what he is trying to do, but he is essentially using the American people as an interest-free loan. If he wants to go that route, the government should subsidize the cost difference to the consumer until the tariffs are removed due to ‘better deals’ being struck because the other countries caved.”
Daniel, a South Florida Republican who voted for Trump (but does not consider himself an adamant supporter of the President), doesn’t necessarily blame the President for rising costs, but instead corporations taking advantage of crises. “I believe tariffs, COVID[-19], and wars are merely excuses for greedy corporations to squeeze more money from consumers. None of these companies are struggling, yet they need more and more and more profit annually, even if they’re already extraordinarily successful.”
Even the groceries found at bulk warehouses (which are historically known for price stability) are shifting in the eyes of shoppers. According to Mike, a New Jersey Republican and regular Costco shopper, “I’ve noticed that some stuff at Costco just isn’t as good as it used to be,” he explained. “Some things don’t taste the same and feel a bit cheaper in quality.” Still, he has no plans to change his shopping habits, as Costco still has better prices than most large grocery stores — especially when buying in bulk.
As a grocery shopper myself, I can’t help but personally feel frustrated watching the news and seeing my grocery bill rise. President Trump’s new 40% tariff on Brazilian imports has me dreading my next visit to the Brazilian market, where I often go to get groceries that are so important to my weekly meals. I resonate with all of these shoppers and their worries about prices. But all I can do is budget where I can while I brace for more grocery changes.
How are tariffs affecting you? Tell us about them in the comments below.
This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: I Asked Six Shoppers Who They Blame for Rising Grocery Prices — And I Did Not See Their Answers Coming
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