**Washington DC**: Seventy-six leading US shoe companies, including Nike and Adidas, warn former President Trump that proposed tariffs up to 145% on imports from China threaten pricing, availability, and industry investment, calling the measures an ‘existential threat’ to affordable footwear ahead of summer.
In a significant development for the U.S. footwear industry, 76 major companies, including prominent brands such as Nike, Adidas, Skechers, and Under Armour, have jointly appealed to former President Donald Trump to reconsider tariffs they describe as an “existential threat.” This concerted effort, spearheaded by the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA), highlights the pressing concerns regarding new tariff rates that could drastically affect the pricing and availability of footwear in the United States.
The impending tariffs, which could reach as high as 145% on imports from China and 10% from Vietnam and Cambodia over the next 90 days, have raised alarms among these companies. The FDRA articulates that many brands that produce affordable footwear for lower and middle-income families may not be able to absorb such high tariff rates. The organisation has warned that many businesses could be forced into a position where they cannot pass these costs onto consumers without risking significant financial stability.
“This is an emergency that requires immediate action,” the FDRA stated in a letter directed at the former president. This urgent call for intervention arises amid indications that brands are already beginning to delay orders in light of the looming tariffs, posing a risk of shortages as the summer season approaches. The industry fears that such delays could empty store shelves and lead to increased prices that would disproportionately affect families seeking affordable footwear options.
Despite assertions from the Trump administration suggesting that tariffs might bolster U.S. manufacturing by encouraging domestic production, the footwear industry has countered that these measures could instead cripple investments. The FDRA warned that without immediate relief, companies may have no choice but to shutter their operations entirely. Their letter underscores the potential for widespread disruption within the American footwear market, urging the former president to reconsider these policies that they believe threaten to devastate the industry.
This appeal raises crucial questions about the balance between protectionist trade policies and their real-world impacts on consumers and businesses alike.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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