In the retail sector, should we expect production to relocate to the U.S.A. if tariffs are applied?
Cédric Rossi: No, we should not expect a massive wave of relocation. First of all, nearshoring is a long and complex process. In the personal equipment sector, production capacity in the United States is almost non-existent. For instance, 99% of shoes sold in the U.S.A. are manufactured abroad, and 98% of ready-to-wear items, according to the U.S. Fashion Industry Association. Consequently, if this tariff policy is confirmed, we can expect a significant increase in prices for the end consumer. Moreover, this fear is not only shared by foreign brands, but also by American players. The latter are particularly angry because they played the game in 2017 and 2018 by relocating part of their supply-chain to Mexico after the wave of customs duties applied to Chinese imports (under Donald Trump first mandate, Editor’s note).
Journaliste économique pour mind Retail depuis 2024, j’analyse la transformation digitale du commerce.
