Footwear Manufacturers, Retailers Ask Trump Not to Add Shoes to Section 301 List

A 25 percent tariff on shoes from China "would be catastrophic for our consumers [and] our companies," according a letter signed by more than 150 European and U.S. shoe manufacturers and shoe retailers, which was sent to President Donald Trump May 20. Footwear is not currently on the Section 301 list, but the president is considering adding tariffs on all Chinese imports.

The Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America estimated that the additional tariffs would add $7 billion to retail prices each year. "While U.S. tariffs on all consumer goods average just 1.9 percent, they average 11.3 percent for footwear and reach rates as high as 67.5 percent. Adding a 25 percent tax increase on top of these tariffs would mean some working American families could pay a nearly 100 percent duty on their shoes. This is unfathomable," the letter said. The companies said they have been moving away from China for some time, but said it takes years of planning to find new sources, and so they can't move fast enough to avoid the tariffs.