Posted in: Comics | Tagged: comic book stores, Comics, trade war, trump

Trump's Tariff Trade War Hits British Comic Book Stores

Published Tue, 26 Jun 2018 12:30:57 -0500

Last updated Tue, 19 Jan 2021 12:48:12 -0600

Recently, President Donald Trump enacted import tariffs on steel imported to the USA from places including Europe. As a result, the European Union retaliated by imposing tariffs on a number of products imported from the USA.

Thankfully that doesn't include comic books, which are zero-rated for duty in the UK. But it has hit all sorts of other merchandise.

T-shirts imported from the USA now have a 25% import duty applied.

Playing Cards have a 10% duty rate.

Ceramic/porcelain/china statues now have a whopping 50% duty rate. Expect retail prices to increase by the same percentage on all of these.

PVC and resin statues are, however, not affected at all.

It is not yet known how this will affect the likes of Loot Crate, who often include T-shirts in their subscription boxes. And even playing cards now and then as well.

Bleeding Cool will run details as we have them. May I suggest that if you were wanting to pick up a ceramic statue from a comic book store that you don't dally?

The Trump tariffs are a series of tariffs imposed by the USA in 2018. In January, tariffs were imposed on solar panels and washing machines, and in June 25% tariff on imports of steel, and a 10% tariff on aluminium.

In a response to the new tariffs, European Union has responded with their own retaliatory tariffs on items including bourbon, orange juice, playing cards, tobacco, cranberries, and peanut butter, which will now carry a tariff of 25%, while there is a 50% duty on goods such as footwear, some types of clothing, and washing machines.

This will add on average $2,200 to every motorcycle exported from the United States to Europe. As a result, Harley-Davidson has announced that they will be moving some of their manufacturing out of the US to avoid these retaliatory tariffs. In response, Trump has declared Harley-Davidson will be targeted themselves by new US tariffs.