One Of The Last Remaining Low-Priced Products May Be Getting More Expensive Due To Tariffs, And I Am Not Okay

I’m sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but…it’s happening: Companies have continued dealing with the consequences of President Trump’s tariff war, and they’re finally beginning to pass tariffs on to consumers as a result.

A person speaks at a podium with a board displaying reciprocal tariffs for various countries, including China and the EU, during an outdoor event

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

And as a regular consumer of Arnold Palmers, I’m even sorrier to tell you that one of the victims of these tariffs could potentially be the one and only 99-cent AriZona canned iced teas.

Cans of Arizona Arnold Palmer Lite Half & Half, a mix of iced tea and lemonade, in a 24-pack with Arnold Palmer’s signature and image visible on packaging

Kevin Carter / Getty Images

The New York Times reported this week that Don Vultaggio, the CEO of AriZona, has spent weeks contemplating something he thought “he would never do: raise the 99-cent price of its canned iced teas,” which has stayed the same since 1997.

Person in a loose shirt holding a can of Arizona Green Tea with Cherry Blossom design

Edward Berthelot / Getty Images

They noted that “About 80 percent of the aluminum AriZona uses to make its tallboys comes from recycled material produced in the United States. The rest is imported from Canada, and subject to a 50 percent import duty.”

The prices haven’t officially been raised just yet, and Vultaggio is supposedly “clinging to cautious optimism.”

On X (formerly Twitter), people were absolutely devastated by the possible price increase. “my faith in society is gone. even the arizona iced tea couldn’t escape the tariffs.”

Tweet expressing disappointment that Arizona Iced Tea's price is affected by tariffs

“YOU’VE TAKEN THE ONE GOOD THING IN MY LIFE”

A man lies on the ground in distress, wrapped in a blanket. Text above reads, "YOU'VE TAKEN THE ONE GOOD THING IN MY LIFE." @ChinnieVT / Sony Pictures Television / Via x.com

“if Arizona tea has to increase their can prices, its a sign we should just go extinct as a species.”

Screenshot of a tweet saying Arizona tea price increase indicates humanity should become extinct

“this literally the only thing left that stayed true to their code.”

A person in a scene from a TV show looks at a phone with concern. Tweet caption suggests loyalty to original story @deadfoopoolie / Sony Pictures Television / Via x.com

“True sign of a recession.”

Tweet by @Actually_Tina: "True sign of a recession." @Actually_Tina / Via x.com

“this is an apocalypse indicator, end times are nigh.”

Tweet reads: "f*** a recession indicator this is an apocalypse indicator, end times are nigh" by trans taisei kondo (@enjislaughter) @enjislaughter / Via x.com

And finally, this person had a liiiiiiiittle history lesson for us all: “You know what happened last time Americans were mad about tariffs raising the price of tea?”

Historic illustration of the Boston Tea Party, where colonists protest taxes by dumping tea into the sea from a ship. Tweet references tariffs @blockwonkel / Niday Picture Library via Alamy / Via x.com