With the impact of US President Donald Trump’s so-called reciprocal tariffs haunting American retailers of festive products – nearly 90 per cent of which are imported from China – US consumers may find themselves having to spend more on lower quality Halloween and Christmas novelties this year, industry insiders and analysts warn.
The “reciprocal tariffs” were introduced in early April, as American retailers were preparing to stock their shelves for festival celebrations later in the year. Buyers are now working day and night to try to minimise their impact.
Industry insiders said the best-available solutions are to either absorb the additional costs of Chinese imports or source the products from places less affected by tariffs, an approach that could come at the expense of product quality.
New Jersey’s Halloween & Costume Association, a business lobby group representing 45 American companies that provide festive products, said last month that Halloween costumes that previously sold for US$19.99 could now retail for US$39.99, while simple masks formerly priced at US$4.99 could jump to US$9.99.
Its executive director, Michele Boylstein, said US tariffs of 145 per cent or higher had seen the market for new imports from China grind to a halt.
