mandag 24. mars 2025

China is turning up pressure on Walmart. That could mean higher prices for US customers

Walmart thought it could use its immense power as America’s biggest retailer to make Chinese suppliers eat the cost of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. But Walmart got a response it’s not accustomed to hearing: No. Trump has slapped 20% tariffs — or taxes on imported goods — on all products coming from China. That’s put the squeeze on retailers like Walmart, which imports a lot of merchandise from China and sells those goods at the lowest price possible to American consumers. Walmart, in turn, has tried to pressure its Chinese suppliers to lower prices. But the Chinese government is having none of it.

The strong reaction from the Chinese government reveals how American companies are caught in the middle of an escalating trade war between the United States and China. While customers in the United States want low prices, that could be hard for Walmart to achieve if the Chinese government is stepping in, trade experts say.