Multiple tariffs and occasional trade restrictions have put companies worldwide on alert. Some major retailers in the US have already raised prices or warned about potential future increases.

In recent months, President Donald Trump introduced new import taxes on many of the US's trading partners, as well as on particular products from specific industries. Some countries, especially China, responded with their own taxes. Although some of the highest taxes have been stopped or lowered, many others remain, affecting businesses.

This happens because companies buying goods made abroad pay the tariffs, leading to higher costs which they usually pass on to consumers. Trump claimed these taxes would bring manufacturing and money back to the US. However, since much of what we buy relies on a global supply chain, economists have long warned that such widespread tariffs will likely result in higher prices for everything from groceries to car repairs.

Várias empresas, juntamente com seus consumidores, já sentem os efeitos desta situação. Alguns grandes retalhistas anunciaram ou preveem aumentos de preços devido às atuais tensões comerciais.

Na quinta-feira, o Walmart foi o último a anunciar que precisará aumentar os preços, justificando a decisão com os custos elevados resultantes das tarifas.

Even though Walmart has taken steps to protect itself from some tariff risks, as two-thirds of its products come from the US, the company isn't completely safe. Higher prices started to show up in Walmart stores in late April and have increased this month, company officials stated on Thursday. However, they expect a bigger impact in June and July, right when back-to-school shopping is at its peak.

John David Rainey, the company's Finance Director, highlighted rising prices for many essential goods. For instance, the price of bananas imported from Costa Rica has increased from $0.50 to $0.54 per pound. He also anticipates that car seats made in China, currently priced at $350 at Walmart, will likely see a $100 price increase.

"Rainey told the Associated Press that they aim to keep prices low, but there's a limit to what they, or any retailer, can handle."

A Mattel, empresa que produz as bonecas Barbie e os carrinhos Hot Wheels, comunicou que poderá aumentar os preços "se necessário" para equilibrar os custos das taxas alfandegárias.

A empresa de brinquedos fabrica 40% dos seus produtos na China e avisou que os preços vão subir a partir de 5 de maio. Isto aconteceu antes dos Estados Unidos e da China terem concordado em suspender as tarifas por 90 dias. No entanto, as taxas alfandegárias no país continuam mais altas do que eram antes de Trump as ter aumentado no mês anterior.

In their latest earnings call, Mattel stated they intend to move approximately 500 product lines from Chinese factories to suppliers in other countries this year, a rise from 280 last year. For some of their most popular toys, the company mentioned using factories in multiple countries.

In early May, Microsoft raised the suggested retail prices for its Xbox consoles and controllers globally; for instance, the Xbox Series S now starts at $379.99 in the US, up $80 from its 2020 launch price of $299.99, while the more powerful Xbox Series X will cost $599.99, a $100 increase from the previous $499.99 price.

"Microsoft acknowledged the challenges of these changes," they wrote in an Xbox support update on May 1st. The tech giant didn't mention specific fees, but cited "wider market conditions and the rising cost of development."

Besides the US, Microsoft has also announced Xbox price changes for Europe, the UK, and Australia. The company stated that all other countries will also receive local updates. Furthermore, Microsoft also expects to increase the price of some of its new top-tier games to US$79.99 this holiday season.

Last month, the large online retailers Temu and Shein announced price increases in separate but very similar statements, mentioning "recent changes in global trade rules and tariffs."

At the end of April, shoppers started noticing price increases on many items, particularly before May 2nd, when a tax exemption on low-value imports from China, known as the "de minimis" rule, expired; many shopping websites had been using this rule for years. A recent agreement between the US and China has lessened the impact a bit, but these goods still have taxes to pay; low-value packages from China arriving via the US Postal Service now face a 54% tax, previously 120%.

Even before this improvement, it seemed Temu had stopped shipments from China, using stock already in the USA. The retailer, owned by the Chinese company PDD Holdings, still advertises many products from "local" warehouses, with no "import fees" for American customers. Meanwhile, Shein, based in Singapore, now shows a message at checkout saying: "Taxes are included in the price. You won't need to pay anything extra when it's delivered."

A Stanley Black & Decker, fabricante de ferramentas, declarou que aumentou os preços em abril e prevê novos aumentos no trimestre de julho a setembro, devido ao aumento das tarifas.

"Donald Allan Jr., CEO, stated last month that they are speeding up changes to their supply chain and looking at all possibilities to lessen the effect of tariffs on customers, while also needing to protect the company."

Executives at Procter & Gamble, the major consumer goods company behind brands like Crest toothpaste, Tide detergent, and Charmin toilet paper, have also stated they will likely need to pass on increased costs to consumers. Last month, P&G announced efforts to lower expenses caused by tariffs, including changing sourcing to avoid taxes. However, the company indicated that consumers could still see price increases starting as early as July.