Walmart, the retail giant known for its slogan « Save money. Live better » and its promise to offer low-cost products to improve its customers’ lives, has just announced a notable turnaround.
Walmart announces plans to start raising prices on some items later this month due to higher tariffs
By the end of the month, Walmart plans to impose major price hikes, citing tariffs that have simply become « too high », a direct consequence of the trade war launched by Donald Trump since his arrival in the White House.
According to CNN, the company’s CEO Doug McMillon said Walmart simply couldn’t absorb all the pressure, given the reality of tight margins in the retail sector.
According to the company’s CEO, the numerous tariffs imposed worldwide, including in China, Costa Rica and even Peru, are driving up costs in several product categories, particularly electronics, toys and many foods.
Walmart’s CEO thus announced that by the end of May, consumers would see significant price increases in its stores, adding that the situation would worsen next month, when we would « certainly see a lot more in June ».
While the company had welcomed the Trump administration’s decision to temporarily ease the trade war with China by reducing tariffs from 145% to 30% as part of a 90-day truce agreed in May, Walmart believes that current levels nevertheless remain « too high ».
By comparison, under the Biden administration, tariffs had remained relatively stable at around 20%, with only a few targeted increases on strategic products such as electric vehicles and semiconductors.
