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Trump tariffs and your business

ended 07. April 2025

The Mail Online are keen to know if any businesses are having to hike prices due to Trump's tariffs or believe reduced sales could put jobs at risk. If that's you or if you know of businesses that are feeling the pinch already, send them across ASAP. Any thoughts welcome.

6 responses from the Newspage community

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Marty Bauer
Retail and Ecommerce Expert at Omnisend
Let’s be clear, every aspect of the UK’s retail sector could be impacted by these tariffs. Companies both large and small that sell goods directly to customers in the US, or through e-commerce sites like Amazon, will encounter higher fees that could reduce profit margins. The majority of high street brands, including H&M and Adidas, outsource their manufacturing to countries like China and Vietnam which are facing the steepest tariffs. If these factories face increased production costs, ultimately the retailers themselves will have to absorb them and pass them on to customers. So while the UK might have gotten away with a more humble 10% hike, the punishment for consumers doesn’t end there. With the likes of Select Fashion and Quiz Clothing both shuttering stores in the past couple of months, any drop in profits could have a knock-on effect of pushing more retailers to the brink of collapse and putting jobs at risk.
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Harry Mills
Director at Oku Markets
Global financial markets are reeling from Trump's recently announced import tariffs, and recession fears are mounting. JPMorgan raised its probability of a global recession to 60% following last week's 'Liberation Day' announcement. Heightened market volatility is going hand-in-hand with business uncertainty, and for British businesses, this comes at a time of already waning confidence as April saw a raft of tax rises from Labour's October Budget. If April's increases in Employer NICs and minimum wages have caused companies to raise prices and hold off any hiring decisions, Donald Trump may well have delivered the knock-out blow to any hope of a near-term revival in business confidence and economic growth.
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Tony Redondo
Founder at Cosmos Currency Exchange
Trump’s tariffs have unleashed a cost tsunami on my US-based business clients, drowning them in price hikes, shrinking sales, and looming job cuts—some are even shutting down entirely as overseas lifelines turn into financial sinkholes.
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Harry Goodliffe
Director at HTG Mortgages
Trump’s tariffs, combined with National Insurance hikes and a minimum wage increase, are stacking up the pressure on UK businesses. With costs rising across the board, many will have no choice but to pass them onto consumers, or worse, make tough decisions on jobs. It’s a perfect storm of increased costs, reduced sales, and a tightening labour market. No business will be immune, and the next few months will be make or break for many. Adapt fast or risk getting left behind.
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David Stirling
Independent Financial Adviser at Mint Wealth
Donald Trump's tariffs have significantly impacted the financial markets, contributing to a wave of global volatility. This comes at a particularly challenging time for UK businesses, which are already grappling with rising costs across the board, including hikes in National Insurance and the minimum wage. For many, the next few months will be a critical test of survival.
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Luke James
Tax Director at Gravitate Accounting
While many businesses we work with may not be directly impacted by the latest American import tariffs, the major concern is how they will be indirectly impacted. This is much harder to predict and prepare for.
If a company does not export to the USA, they may not be directly hit by the tariffs. But what about their suppliers? Global supply chains are extremely complex and just a handful of these companies being forced to reduce their exports, raise prices, or cease trading altogether, can have a massive impact on all of the businesses involved in the supply chain.
The reality is we do not yet know the full scale of potential impact the latest tariffs could have, but selective price increases and identifying areas of waste to offset future additional costs are what we are advising clients to do. However, will price changes help if there is no one to trade with?