2024-02-19
Tinplate-New studies find tinplate steel tariffs will harm American consumers and manufacturing jobs
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Consumer Brands Association released two studies in partnership with Trade Partnership Worldwide, LLC and The Juday Group demonstrating the adverse effects that would result from implementing proposed tariffs of up to 300% on tinplate steel imports. The tariffs would threaten nearly 40,000 union and non-union manufacturing jobs and increase the cost of canned foods and products by up to 30%.The economic impact studies bolster Consumer Brands’ efforts to urge the Department of Commerce and International Trade Commission (ITC) to deny a petition submitted by steel conglomerate Cleveland-Cliffs to impose tariffs of up to 300% on imported tinplate steel from eight countries (Canada, China, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, UK). Because tinplate is used in hundreds of canned goods – everything from soup to shaving cream – imposing the requested tariffs would raise production costs for U.S. can manufacturers and trigger price hikes for every consumer, as supported by the research.“Cleveland-Cliffs is abusing trade laws and attempting to artificially inflate prices to increase its profits at the expense of grocery shoppers,” said David Chavern, president and CEO of Consumer Brands.“The Department of Commerce and ITC need to thoroughly review the facts of the case, including these two economic impact studies, and issue a decision that doesn’t prop up one company at the expense of an entire domestic industry and the consumers that rely on these essential products.”