“Zero or low tariffs for wine and spirits are essential to U.S. producers’ export success in foreign markets,” the letter stated, pointing out that nearly 85% of U.S. spirits exports go to countries that eliminated tariffs on all U.S. spirits (such as EU, UK, Canada, Mexico, Japan and Australia), and the vast majority of U.S. wine exports go to countries where the import duty is low or zero.The coalition explained that wine and spirits are unique products because many can only be produced in certain geographical regions around the world.
Some spirits are recognized as “distinctive products” by the U.S. and its trading partners and can only be made in their designated countries such as Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey in the U.S., Tequila in Mexico, Cognac in France and Scotch Whisky in Scotland.
Their claim about 25,000 jobs may well be exaggerated. But I don't see what the point of these kinds of tariffs is in the first place - unless it's to make Americans pay more for things. Or to collect as much tariff revenue as possible - which is a tax increase on business and consumers.
The original justification for the tariffs was reshoring of manufacturing. Tariffs on food and alcohol have nothing to do with that.
These don't even help US producers of alcoholic beverages. We don't make most of the alcoholic beverages they are slapping tariffs on, such as Scotch. Nor will we ever make them. That's why the US companies are against this.
BTW most of Trump's tariffs haven't kicked in yet. So, arguments about how tariffs haven't boosted inflation are not valid.
Trump detests alcohol. This will fall on deaf ears.
The goal is American jobs. That applies across the board. If Scotch (with tariff) becomes too expensive, drinkers will switch to Kentucky Whiskey.
“Or to collect as much tariff revenue as possible - which is a tax increase on business and consumers.
The original justification for the tariffs was reshoring of manufacturing. Tariffs on food and alcohol have nothing to do with that.”
It’s a voluntary tax. You only pay if you want the product.
Tariffs are also about revenue generation. A replacement for the income tax has to start somewhere.
We do sell a lot of Jameson's at a reasonable price but some of our foreign spirits are already anywhere from 50 to 100 dollars a shot. As you can imagine, we sell very, very, VERY few of those.
I think we have those mostly because the bottles look unique and just so we can say we have them.
We'll see what happens.
Sue him. Trump is acting completely outside his legal authority and the courts need to smack him down on this, hard.
According to the article, we buy imported wine and spirits from EU. EU buys bourbon from us. That seems like balanced trade and the tariffs should cancel each other. I.E. use one tariff to pay the other.
I don’t imbibe any more.
I gave up alcohol.
I did because I came to an age where I was putting on a bit of weight and I decided alcohol was “empty” calories.
Some black coffee in the morning and tap water the rest of the time is pretty much all I drink.
But as a fiscal conservative and a red blooded American, when I did drink it was not some fancy, smancy overpriced foreign stuff.
In my college days I kept it simple, PBR on tap.
As I grew older if I drank the hard stuff, it was bourbon on the rocks with a bit of water, no brand in particular, whatever was the house brand.
In my old age, I found what I suspect may have been the product of American ingenuity.
Domestic wine in a box.
Who but Americans would have thought of putting wine in a plastic bladder then stuffing it in a cardboard box which easily fit in the refrigerator.
As a fiscally conservative American, I say drink cheap and domestic or don’t drink at all.
It is very easy to avoid tariff prices; drink good old American booze.
One complaint about tariffs is that consumers end up absorbing the costs. This is one example where this would be a good thing. The cost on society that alcoholics have caused is massive.
More money. Less drunks.
Win!
arguments about how tariffs haven't boosted inflation are not valid.The opposite is also true.
I agree with your perspective on this.
This is rich coming from an industry that thrives on the “duty free” market, since most countries have enormous tariffs on liquor.
Yah it’ll bite a bit with 15% but I doubt that will cause anyone to drink less. The folks that want the imported stuff are going to get it regardless. Maybe more American brands will be bought, which is kind of the point of the tariffs.
“BTW most of Trump’s tariffs haven’t kicked in yet. So, arguments about how tariffs haven’t boosted inflation are not valid.”
Record amounts in tariffs already collected.
Simple. Don’t buy foreign booze.
Their claim that there are no tarrifs on YS booze in those countries is not true.
If it is then how does a $60 bottle of Jack cost twice that in Japan?
So people are gonna stop drinking because some imports are a little more expensive? Just up the price on the domestic stuff and it’ll be a wash.
Sales at risk
Nothing happend yet but the anti Trump group will gouge the prices like they have with everything else.
Trump caused it man yeah he did it........................