Walmart says higher prices could hit this month due to tariffs

Natalie Sherman - Business reporter, BBC News

Thu, May 15, 2025, 7:47 AM 2 min read

Walmart is preparing to rise prices successful the US arsenic soon arsenic this month, arsenic its ain costs summation arsenic a effect of the caller tariffs connected imports imposed by President Donald Trump.

The plans by the world's largest retailer travel arsenic White House announcements successful caller weeks person resulted successful astir goods from astir the satellite facing caller import taxes of astatine slightest 10%, with products from China facing higher duties of astatine slightest 30%.

Reporting to investors connected the firm's show connected Thursday, main enforcement Doug McMillon said helium was grateful that the Trump medication had, for now, suspended plans for much assertive levies.

But helium said that his steadfast was inactive apt to rise prices to screen the caller costs.

"We volition bash our champion to support our prices arsenic debased arsenic imaginable but fixed the magnitude of the tariffs, adjacent astatine the reduced levels announced this week, we aren't capable to sorb each the pressure," helium said.

More than two-thirds of what Walmart sells successful the US is made, assembled oregon grown successful the country, the institution said.

But China is the ascendant supplier successful cardinal categories, specified arsenic toys and electronics.

Executives besides warned that tariffs connected countries that person received little attraction specified arsenic Costa Rica, Colombia and Peru were putting terms unit connected staples specified arsenic bananas, avocados, java and roses.

In interviews with US concern outlets connected Thursday, main fiscal serviceman John David Rainey said shoppers could spot higher prices successful stores arsenic soon arsenic this period and decidedly successful June.

Executives said they were successful a beardown presumption to rapidly set what they are buying if shoppers commencement to baulk astatine higher prices.

The institution besides said it could not connection guidance to investors astir its income and nett expectations implicit the adjacent 3 months, arsenic it would ordinarily do, due to the fact that of the "dynamic nature" of the situation.

But implicit the afloat year, executives said they were inactive pushing to conscionable their archetypal goals, including plans to summation profits faster than sales.