As the Trump administration threatens to put more tariffs in place, this time on imports of European alcohol, local businesses are raising questions about what higher costs for items critical to their operations could mean.On social media platform Truth Social, President Trump threatened to put a 200% tariff on alcohol from the European Union in response to a tariff on American whiskey the E.U. proposed. That came in response to a U.S. tariff on imported aluminum and steel.At Bert’s Beer and Wine in Manchester, owner Brian Dobson keeps European products in stock he says his customers enjoy, like wine from France and beer from Germany. Now, this claim from Trump is making him worried about losing both his customers and his products.”It’s negative perception from the get-go,” he said. “It doesn’t do anybody any good.”Even though the tariffs aren’t in effect, Dobson says higher costs for both him and distributors could mean forcing cheaper domestic options onto store shelves.”Not only will it cause the product to be more expensive, it will eventually over time make the product unavailable.”Tariff threats are causing other local businesses to act fast.Tedd Benson is the founder of Bensonwood, a New Hampshire company that creates completed wood panels for building homes. Before the original Canadian tariffs could take effect, the company worked with its supplier over the northern border to put together a larger order that would keep inventory in stock for the coming years.Benson said the order helped the company avoid passing on the cost of potential tariffs to customers. Now, they’re facing the challenges of finding space for the extra-large order, while taking on their own costs.”(It’s) stress for us, stress for them, cost for us, and continued disruption because of having so much inventory that we would normally get just on time,” he said.Benson adds his company needs Canadian products because there isn’t a reliable domestic supplier for lumber specifically made for framing domestically, especially due to the type of engineered wood their frames require.”There are indications that if we can supply all of it without Mexico and Canada, it’s likely to increase the cost,” he said.There is a pause on tariffs for goods covered by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement until next month. The National Association of Home Builders said it worked with the White House to make sure that pause includes Canadian softwood lumber used for construction.>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
As the Trump administration threatens to put more tariffs in place, this time on imports of European alcohol, local businesses are raising questions about what higher costs for items critical to their operations could mean.
On social media platform Truth Social, President Trump threatened to put a 200% tariff on alcohol from the European Union in response to a tariff on American whiskey the E.U. proposed. That came in response to a U.S. tariff on imported aluminum and steel.
At Bert’s Beer and Wine in Manchester, owner Brian Dobson keeps European products in stock he says his customers enjoy, like wine from France and beer from Germany. Now, this claim from Trump is making him worried about losing both his customers and his products.
“It’s negative perception from the get-go,” he said. “It doesn’t do anybody any good.”
Even though the tariffs aren’t in effect, Dobson says higher costs for both him and distributors could mean forcing cheaper domestic options onto store shelves.
“Not only will it cause the product to be more expensive, it will eventually over time make the product unavailable.”
Tariff threats are causing other local businesses to act fast.
Tedd Benson is the founder of Bensonwood, a New Hampshire company that creates completed wood panels for building homes. Before the original Canadian tariffs could take effect, the company worked with its supplier over the northern border to put together a larger order that would keep inventory in stock for the coming years.
Benson said the order helped the company avoid passing on the cost of potential tariffs to customers. Now, they’re facing the challenges of finding space for the extra-large order, while taking on their own costs.
“(It’s) stress for us, stress for them, cost for us, and continued disruption because of having so much inventory that we would normally get just on time,” he said.
Benson adds his company needs Canadian products because there isn’t a reliable domestic supplier for lumber specifically made for framing domestically, especially due to the type of engineered wood their frames require.
“There are indications that if we can supply all of it without Mexico and Canada, it’s likely to increase the cost,” he said.
There is a pause on tariffs for goods covered by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement until next month. The National Association of Home Builders said it worked with the White House to make sure that pause includes Canadian softwood lumber used for construction.
>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
The National Association of Home Builders said the potential 25% tariffs would go on top of existing tariffs from the Department of Commerce, which could double later this year. That means tariff rates for lumber could approach 60% by the fall.
Rising building material costs could also get passed along to taxpayers. At the Nashua Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday, Mayor Jim Donchess addressed the added impact if the city goes through with construction on a new garage for its Department of Public Works.
The construction materials, says Donchess, would be paid for by Nashua’s citizens after the cost is put on the city.
“If it’s paid by the city, that means (it’s paid) by the taxpayers who pay the bills,” he said.
Back at Bert’s, the prospect of all these tariffs means one thing for Dobson: everyone suffers.
“I think it’s a lose-lose,” he notes. “It just ends up costing products, ends up costing customers, and ends up costing businesses.
The tariffs on Canadian and Mexican products are expected to return on April 2.