- Video shows price tags replaced with higher prices in Walmart stores across clothing sections
- Children's outfit price rose from $6.98 to $10.98, backpack from $19.97 to $24.97
- Trump claims tariffs protect US manufacturing and jobs, causing import tax hikes for companies
An Instagram user, Mercedes Chandler, recently shared a video from a Walmart store in the United States asserting how US President Donald Trump's tariffs are directly causing a sharp spike in prices across clothes and other items.
The post captioned, "Donald Trump's tariffs are in full swing!" shows Chandler walking across clothing sections comparing old price tags with new ones. The older tags had been either removed or covered up and new higher prices added.
"Guys, the tariffs are in active effect," Chandler says, adding, "Look at these clothes in Walmart. All the tags have these bottom pieces ripped off, but then you find one with the bottom still on - $10.98. The price is raised to $11.98."
Showing a children's outfit originally priced at $6.98, hiked up to $10.98, and a backpack originally sold for $19.97 now priced at $24.97, Chandler points out "That's a $4 increase".
"If you don't believe me, go to your local, whether it be Walmart or Target and check this out for yourself," they said in the video.
Users on Instagram have reacted to the video in different ways. Some were confused, a few criticised the tariffs and others responded sarcastically.
"Was it worth it? Are we great yet?", one user commented, taking a slight at Trump's MAGA philosophy. Another said, "Remember when Trump freaked out when Amazon put the tariff charges when you check out? Retail stores should put that in their receipt."
A Target employee commented, "...We also are taking the perforated price tags off the clothing starting a few days ago". Another user, supporting the tariffs said, "Wow we get billions and billions from the tariffs and in return we have to pay an extra dollar for a shirt OH NOOOOO the world is coming to an end".
Since Trump assumed office in January, he has threatened to impose the main cornerstone of his campaign - tariffs on other countries. He has repeatedly argued that tariffs boost American manufacturing and protect jobs. Now, companies that bring in foreign goods into the US have to pay tax to the government. In return, American buyers will have to pay more for the imports.
On Wednesday, Trump escalated his tariff offensive against India by slapping an additional 25 percent duty and subsequently doubling it to 50 percent on Indian goods over New Delhi's continuous imports of Russian oil.
