The National Retail Federation issued the following statement on July 5 from President and CEO Matthew Shay in regard to U.S. tariffs on $34 billion of Chinese goods set to take effect Friday.
“With tariffs against China taking effect, American consumers are one step closer to feeling the full effects of a trade war. These tariffs will do nothing to protect U.S. jobs, but they will undermine the benefits of tax reform and drive up prices for a wide range of products as diverse as tool sets, batteries, remote controls, flash drives and thermostats. And students could pay more for the mini-refrigerator they need in their dorm room as they head back to college this fall.
“We strongly urge the administration to abandon its plans for tariffs on another $200 billion in Chinese imports, which would destroy thousands of American jobs and raise prices on virtually everything sold in our stores. Reining in China’s abusive trade policies is a goal shared by many countries, but a strategy based on unilateral tariffs is the wrong approach, and it has to stop.”
