UK Peppa Pig toy firm says trading ‘uncertain’ as US-China shipments on hold

A British shaper that makes Peppa Pig and Fireman Sam toys has said trading with the US remains “uncertain” aft it paused shipping Chinese-made products to the state due to the fact that of Donald Trump’s tariffs.

London-listed Character Group said connected Friday that it had enactment shipments from China to the US “on hold” successful April aft the White House announced hefty levies for imports of Chinese-made goods.

The institution besides withdrew its guidance for the existent fiscal twelvemonth past month, arsenic a effect of the instauration of tariffs by the US.

Sales of Character’s products successful the US, including stretchy enactment figures successful the Heroes of Goo Jit Zu collection, represented 20% of the group’s revenues successful the past fiscal year, which ended connected 31 August 2024. The institution said “substantially all” of its products sold successful the US were manufactured successful China.

The institution said its products earmarked for the US had not near a mill successful China.

Tit-for-tat tariffs betwixt the US and China were raised aggregate times successful April successful an escalating commercialized war, reaching connected Chinese exports to the US and connected US exports to China, earlier the countries met for negotiations past weekend.

The current intermission successful tariffs betwixt the US and China was welcomed by the shaper arsenic a motion that “gives anticipation for a negotiated resolution”, but it added that uncertainty remained due to the fact that of the “volatile and evolving commercialized argumentation landscape”.

The artifact institution added that economical uncertainty resulting from tariffs had knocked planetary sales, arsenic customers person “become progressively cautious” and unwilling to perpetrate to orders.

“This is impacting income successful each our cardinal territories,” Character said arsenic it reported its half-year results.

Despite the ongoing uncertainty, the institution said it remained assured that it would beryllium profitable successful the existent fiscal year.

The US-based manufacture body, the Toy Association, has antecedently said that 80% of toys sold successful the state are manufactured successful China.

The organisation has campaigned for toys to kept escaped from tariffs, with their president calling them “essential products for puerility improvement and aboriginal education”.

Retail income of toys generated implicit $28bn (£21bn) successful the US successful 2024, according to figures from Circana’s US retail tracking services, which covers of the country’s artifact market.

However, Trump has antecedently said that American children mightiness “have 2 dolls alternatively of 30 dolls” if his tariffs effect successful products becoming costlier and much scarce for US consumers.