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Customers, importers bearing brunt of tariff costs

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January 26, 2026

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American importers and their customers are bearing the brunt of enacted tariffs by President Donald Trump which began in January 2025.

Importers and customers are paying 96% of the tariffs, while countries importing goods are paying 4%, according to a report from the German Kiel Institute for the World Economy

The policy report comes on the heels of Trump threatening to enact tariffs on European nations opposing his intention of buying Greenland.

The Kiel study revealed prices in the U.S. rose "nearly one-for-one with tariffs."

"Exporters are not cutting prices to maintain sales," the report stated, "instead, they are accepting reduced market share in the United States while maintaining their profit margins."