UK-made fashion items to be hit by US tariffs
Certain made in Britain clothing items will be hit by 25% import tariffs to the US after President Trump's decision to retaliate for EU subsidies on large aircraft.
Among those items to be hit include Savile Row-made suits; wool, cotton and cashmere sweaters; windbreakers and jackets; men’s and boys suits; women’s and girls’ pyjamas; and women’s and girls’ swimwear.
Other non-fashion, British-made items to be hit include Scotch whisky, bed linen, butter and aircraft.
The tariffs could come into effect as early as 18 October and would also affect brands and retailers that operate and make in the EU including luxury brands such as Gucci, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Versace. Shares in a number of luxury brands dropped as a result of the news.
The main target of the tariffs is Airbus large aircraft, which face a 10% tariff. The moves comes after the WTO found, in a dispute dating back to 2004, that both France-based Airbus and its US rival Boeing received billions of illegal state aid.
The US has been told by the WTO it can impose tariffs on £6.1bn of EU goods following a 15-year trade dispute over illegal state subsidies.
