Southern California families are raising household goods and fear prices will rise as new tariffs and imports are expected to slow down.
Many families say stocking ups remind us of “panic purchases” during the Covid-19 pandemic when people were buying lots of items like toilet paper. This time, some shoppers say there’s no extra money to do that, as the cost of basic essentials, from food to clothing, is high.
“No, I can’t buy anything for $65 more. I bought toilet paper and cereal. I bought very little,” said Stacey Tigirina, a shopper at Eastvale.
Next week, the port of Los Angeles is expected to see a decline in cargo volume from China to the US as many businesses are forced to scale back the orders due to the impact of President Trump’s tariffs.
“We’ve seen a lot of effort and we’ve seen you in the world,” said Jean Seroca, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles.
Brenda Orozco, a mother at Eastvale shopping centre, bought several items for the newborn and said the possibility of an increase in the price of these items could be drastic.
“It’s tough now. I don’t have jobs now. I’ve been fired for the same reasons that our work was outsourced to other countries. I’m particularly scared to have kids at home,” Orozco said. “It’s a traumatic response that I’ve been restocking stock since Covid. I felt like I needed it and got it.
Last month, President Trump raised tariffs to 145% on almost all Chinese products. The Port of Los Angeles says shipments from the country account for about 45% of the port’s operations.
Some families say they find the best deals around town and shop smartly.
“You have to buy things while they’re on sale,” Tigerina said.
Experts believe retailers will have a few weeks before they feel the financial impact, and prices will drip down on consumers as many companies say they have stock. For some, that’s not enough.
“I wanted to continue raising my family, but now I want to do it now. Do you want to do it now? Can you afford it now?
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