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Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Parents face price hikes on strollers and car seats as tariffs bite retailers
The stock market rallied on news of a partial trade truce between the U.S. and China but, for consumers, the pain remains very real. That's especially the case for new and expecting parents, who are confronting stiff hikes on items like strollers and high chairs as companies raise prices in the face of economic uncertainty. Safety essentials, in particular, will cost "quite a bit" more under the tariff policies, according to Babylist, a registry platform. And while the Trump administration's refrain to "buy American" may seem simple, it isn't practical for current new parents. Almost all strollers—97%—are manufactured in China, while 87% of car seats are. Unless parents buy secondhand, which can raise its own set of safety issues, they are likely to pay much more. More broadly, every baby product could be impacted by the trade war, according to Babylist. That includes: cribs and bassinets, nursery furniture, high chairs, baby clothes and shoes, toys, play gyms, diaper bags, monitors, and European-made formula, among others. While the Trump administration has lowered the 145% tariffs on imports from China to 30% for the next 90 days, some popular baby brands, including stroller company Mockingbird, high chair company UPPAbaby, and sleep tent-producer Slumberpod, have already increased prices or plan to in the next few days. "Please know, we've also explored options to make our products locally (not just recently, but several times throughout the lifetime of our company)," Mockingbird wrote when it announced plans to increase prices. but "very few manufacturers in the world have the expertise to produce high-quality baby products and test them according to our rigorous safety standards—and with your little ones sitting in our strollers and high chairs, maintaining these standards is our top priority." The price hikes are happening at the same time that the Trump administration is encouraging Americans to have more children, with the administration reportedly soliciting ideas that include a $5,000 "baby bonus." Higher prices on baby goods is a major safety issue, according to the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, a national non-profit trade organization representing the prenatal to preschool industry. In a letter to the president sent in February, the organization urged him to exclude all juvenile products from Chinese import tariffs because there are simply not safe alternatives made elsewhere. "A global supply chain allows the U.S.-based companies that design these lifesaving products to search the world to bring the best mix of product quality and value to parents and caregivers by working with suppliers that have specialized capabilities," the letter reads. "The death of even one American child due to unavailability of affordable lifesaving baby products is too many." Democratic members of Congress have also asked for an exemption from the tariffs for baby gear, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last week he would consider one. But so far, an exemption hasn't materialized. But in a letter to the Trump administration, lawmakers pointed out that child car seats are legally required for children traveling in vehicles in all 50 states. Families shouldn't have to pay more to comply with the law, they wrote. "For parents, car seats, high chairs, strollers, and cribs are not optional purchases—they are necessities," the letter reads. "American families should not be forced to choose between their livelihoods and reliance on poor-quality baby gear." Beyond essentials like strollers and cribs, the toy industry is poised for particular challenges under Trump's tariff policies. That's because some 80% of the toys sold in the U.S. are sourced from China, according to the Toy Association, a national industry group. A recent survey from the group finds that 80% of midsize companies and 64% of small companies are canceling orders, while 87% of midsize companies and 81% of small companies are delaying orders. That could have a huge impact on the holiday shopping season with far fewer toys on shelves, as companies typically begin making those orders now. Tariffs have "frozen the toy production supply chain," the Toy Association's survey says. Because 96% of American toy companies are small or medium sized, according the organization, many will not be able to withstand the price increases and could even be forced out of business. That said, large toymakers will be hit as well. Mattel Inc., which produces Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels cars, among other toys, said last week that it will have to raise prices "where necessary" due to Trump's tariffs. Some 40% of Mattel's global production currently occurs in China. This story was originally featured on
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
U.S. tariffs could raise cost of baby products up to $1,000 a year
President Trump's tariffs are making it a lot more expensive to have kids, parents and baby gear makers say. Sweeping levies imposed by Mr. Trump in April are hiking the prices of baby essentials, including car seats and strollers, amounting to a tax on parents, advocates for reducing costs for families say. At the same time, the White House is trying to encourage Americans to have more children. Mr. Trump is even considering a $5,000 "baby bonus," according to a New York Times report, to boost the U.S.' declining birth rate. New parents and couples that are expecting could soon face tariff-related cost increases of up to $1,000 a year on baby essentials, according to Natalie Gordon, the CEO of Babylist, a baby registry service. Gordon noted that price increases are already in effect across a range of products, given manufacturers' reliance on China to produce strollers, cribs, car seats and other required goods. Currently, an import duty of up to 145% applies to U.S. imports from China, where the vast majority of strollers sold in the U.S. are made. Mr. Trump on Friday signaled that the rate could come down, writing in a post on his social media platform Truth Social that an "80% Tariff on China seems right!" Calling for a reprieve Gordon is among a group of advocates calling on the White House to exempt critical baby products from sky-high tariffs. In addition to levies on Chinese products, a baseline 10% tariff applies to all U.S. imports. Additional country-based duties — with the exception of China — are currently on hold for 90 days. "Manufacturers are, on a day-to-day basis, dealing with the shock of tariffs on products and are very willing to invest in supply chains," Gordon told CBS MoneyWatch. "They are looking at what it takes to onshore products, but it takes time and investment." Gordon added that she believes the tariffs amount to a "baby tax on every parent across the country." Trump says trade policies may mean children have fewer toys that cost moreCould a $5,000 "baby bonus" convince Americans to have more kids? Here's what the data shows. That's why she said a reprieve is necessary. "We know the administration wants to support families to feel like they can have babies, and this is the easiest and quickest way they can do that," she said. Inventory sitting on U.S. store shelves already costs more than it did last month. For example, UPPAbaby, which makes car seats and strollers overseas, said in a statement posted on its website in an April that tariffs are making price increases "unavoidable." Price hikes on some products went into effect May 5. An UPPAbaby car seat, for example, already costs $150 more than it did last month, according to Elizabeth Mahon, who owns Three Littles, a children's store in Washington, D.C. One of her most popular items, the UPPAbaby Vista stroller, now costs $1,199, up $300 from $899, she told CBS News correspondent Jo Ling Kent in May. "There aren't very many products that are made exclusively in the United States, and even products that are made in the United States rely on global manufacturing for production, or for their materials that they're packing things in or shipping materials," Mahon said. Resale proves popular The rising cost of parenthood has some parents turning to resale platforms, boosting demand for discounted open-box goods or overstock inventory. Shraysi Tandon, founder and CEO of Kidsy, a re-commerce platform for baby and kids products, told CBS MoneyWatch that "tariffs are wreaking havoc on families that were already squeezed to begin with." Tandon said she's witnessed a 25%-35% across-the-board hike in prices on baby equipment, including strollers, car seats, bouncers, carriers and other gear. "Price hikes we thought would happen over the summer are already happening in real-time," she said, adding that the increase in costs doesn't jibe with the White House's call for families to have more children. "If anything, people will get sticker shock and not want to have more kids at a time when many families are already experiencing inflationary pressures at checkout," she said. Kidsy has seen a 70% spike in traffic over the past couple weeks, according to Tandon, as parents look for ways to save money. "Resale and re-commerce is a strong signal to me that consumers are actively looking for discounted items, and ways in which they can save money on products that are essentials," she said. Mr. Trump this week said he's considering a carveout for baby products, but that he'd prefer for tariffs to be "nice and simple." "I'm not looking to have so many exemptions that nobody knows what's going on," Mr. Trump said during the swearing-in ceremony for David Purdue as Ambassador to China. In the meantime, expecting couples are taking a close look at their budgets and trying to find ways to trim costs. "I feel like we're trying to cut back a little bit on everything just because it's not clear how long this is going to last," expecting father Femi Taiwo told CBS News. Did the conclave pick a front-runner to be new pope? World awaits new pope after conclave's vote Trump touts UK trade deal, but U.S. companies fear they won't survive China tariffs
Axios
26-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
"Baby tax": Trump tariffs send baby gear prices soaring
New parents looking to purchase a stroller may want to get a jump start, as the price of baby gear is climbing thanks to President Trump's tariffs, CEOs warn. The big picture: The president has become a powerful ally in the push for women to have more children but his roller-coaster tariffs have made it more expensive for parents to buy the baby products they need, industry leaders say. Zoom in: Prices on baby essentials, like car seats and strollers, started increasing last week and are up, on average, by about 30%, said Elizabeth Mahon, founder of D.C.-based children's store Three Littles. "Prices are through the roof right now," she said, adding that they're expected to continue going up in coming weeks. Case in point: The price of an UPPAbaby stroller, which Mahon said is of one of the most popular strollers in the country, is going to jump from $899 to $1,200 in early May, she said. Strollers and car seats from Nuna, another popular brand, already went up $100 and $50, respectively. Over the next 30 to 45 days, Munchkin will instate price increases across about 90% of its products, which range from sippy cups to high chairs, CEO Steve Dunn told Axios. State of play: 97% of strollers and 87% of car seats are made in China, according to Babylist, a popular baby registry platform. Companies are telling consumers directly that the reason for price jumps are the tariffs. UPPAbaby announced last week it would soon raise prices for many of its items due to rising import tariffs. The company said it tried to absorb as much of the cost as possible but found increases to be unavoidable. In an open letter in the Washington Post on Wednesday, Babylist called for an "immediate reprieve from tariffs on essential baby products," saying the tariffs are essentially a "baby tax" impacting the cost of essential gear parents legally need to bring their newborns home safely. 13 other well-known baby gear companies, like UPPAbaby, Munchkin and Frida, signed on to the letter. What they're saying: Natalie Gordon, Babylist CEO and founder, said everything from car seats to cribs will face price increases across the board. "These are essential items that every expecting parent needs, and they can't be delayed," Gordon told Axios. "It's an added burden at one of the most vulnerable and financially stretched moments in life." Baby companies are being forced to make daily, reactive decisions to navigate the uncertainty of the tariffs, she said. "That includes adjusting prices, but also delaying shipments of finished goods, which is likely to lead to stock shortages in the coming months," Gordon added. Zoom out: Dunn, of Munchkin, wrote two letters to President Trump this month, asking for a permanent exemption from the tariffs for baby products. "The reality is that there is no infrastructure or manufacturing base in the U.S. capable of producing the millions of low-margin, safety-critical juvenile and maternal health products American families need," he wrote. Dunn told Axios that any manufacturing options in the U.S. at least doubles the cost of Munchkin's products. "Birth rates are at a U.S. record low, and it's not really a mystery as to why," Dunn said. "Young families are buckling under the rising cost of food, housing and child care, and laying punitive tariffs on top of that burden doesn't protect the American dream — it taxes it." Between the lines: The Trump administration is trying to incentivize women to have more children, but it's not necessarily making it more accessible to do so. The White House is reportedly soliciting ideas about how to get more Americans to marry and have more babies, with proposals including cash "baby bonuses," Axios earlier reported. But the tariffs impacting baby gear prices are making it exponentially more expensive for parents in the U.S. to keep their children safe, Mahon said. "Eventually, even the more affordable car seats will be out of reach for many families," she said, noting that this will encourage people to buy secondhand or expired car seats, which are not safe for children. The White House did not respond to Axios' request for comment.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Babies deserve love—not tariffs: Babylist's bold call to end the ‘baby tax'
Imagine trying to buy a car seat and realizing it costs more—not because it got fancier, but because it got taxed. That's the reality for American parents right now, thanks to tariffs on essential baby goods. In a bold move to rally attention, Babylist CEO Natalie Gordon just dropped a full-page ad in The Washington Post, calling out what she terms a 'baby tax'—and she's not alone. With support from fellow industry leaders like UPPAbaby, Ergobaby, Nanit, Frida, Owlet, Munchkin, and more, Gordon is spearheading a coalition demanding immediate tariff relief on baby essentials like cribs, strollers, and safety gear. The message is clear and loud: babies should be cherished, not taxed. 'We don't tariff our future. We love it,' the ad reads. Read: Hungary gives full income tax exemptions to moms with two or more kids—what if the U.S. did the same? The ad campaign arrives at a moment when American parents are already navigating the impossible. From astronomical childcare costs to the absence of universal paid family leave, U.S. families are consistently forced to do more with less. As Motherly's Elizabeth Tenety wrote, American mothers are 'still living in the 1950s' when it comes to societal support. Tariffs on baby goods are just one more way new parents are squeezed. Let's be real: This isn't about fancy nursery decor. We're talking about basic, safety-critical items. Think of a car seat—non-negotiable for leaving the hospital. Or a crib—because co-sleeping isn't for everyone and babies need a safe sleep space. When tariffs make these goods more expensive, parents face unfair trade-offs between cost and safety. Gordon and Babylist are calling on Congress and the White House to recognize that taxing parents on baby gear is not just economic policy—it's family policy. 'Becoming a parent is one of life's greatest joys, one our country should champion, not tax,' the ad states. If you've ever budgeted for a stroller and then learned it costs as much as your first car did in college, you know this 'baby tax' isn't theoretical. It's personal. And it's yet another way the system asks parents—especially moms—to bear the brunt of our country's policy gaps. For parents who already feel like they're juggling jobs, groceries, and sleepless nights with one hand tied behind their back, the idea of coming together to challenge something as technical as trade policy might feel overwhelming. But this is exactly the kind of movement that starts with a onesie and ends with real change. Babylist is urging consumers to support the call to end tariffs on essential baby goods. You can read more and sign the petition at Because babies deserve love—not tariffs. And parents deserve relief—not another bill. Related: What parents need to know about the Child Tax Credit this year
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Babies deserve love—not tariffs: Babylist's bold call to end the ‘baby tax'
Imagine trying to buy a car seat and realizing it costs more—not because it got fancier, but because it got taxed. That's the reality for American parents right now, thanks to tariffs on essential baby goods. In a bold move to rally attention, Babylist CEO Natalie Gordon just dropped a full-page ad in The Washington Post, calling out what she terms a 'baby tax'—and she's not alone. With support from fellow industry leaders like UPPAbaby, Ergobaby, Nanit, Frida, Owlet, Munchkin, and more, Gordon is spearheading a coalition demanding immediate tariff relief on baby essentials like cribs, strollers, and safety gear. The message is clear and loud: babies should be cherished, not taxed. 'We don't tariff our future. We love it,' the ad reads. Read: Hungary gives full income tax exemptions to moms with two or more kids—what if the U.S. did the same? The ad campaign arrives at a moment when American parents are already navigating the impossible. From astronomical childcare costs to the absence of universal paid family leave, U.S. families are consistently forced to do more with less. As Motherly's Elizabeth Tenety wrote, American mothers are 'still living in the 1950s' when it comes to societal support. Tariffs on baby goods are just one more way new parents are squeezed. Let's be real: This isn't about fancy nursery decor. We're talking about basic, safety-critical items. Think of a car seat—non-negotiable for leaving the hospital. Or a crib—because co-sleeping isn't for everyone and babies need a safe sleep space. When tariffs make these goods more expensive, parents face unfair trade-offs between cost and safety. Gordon and Babylist are calling on Congress and the White House to recognize that taxing parents on baby gear is not just economic policy—it's family policy. 'Becoming a parent is one of life's greatest joys, one our country should champion, not tax,' the ad states. If you've ever budgeted for a stroller and then learned it costs as much as your first car did in college, you know this 'baby tax' isn't theoretical. It's personal. And it's yet another way the system asks parents—especially moms—to bear the brunt of our country's policy gaps. For parents who already feel like they're juggling jobs, groceries, and sleepless nights with one hand tied behind their back, the idea of coming together to challenge something as technical as trade policy might feel overwhelming. But this is exactly the kind of movement that starts with a onesie and ends with real change. Babylist is urging consumers to support the call to end tariffs on essential baby goods. You can read more and sign the petition at Because babies deserve love—not tariffs. And parents deserve relief—not another bill. Related: What parents need to know about the Child Tax Credit this year
