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Walmart recently reinstated a so-called “basket fee” for customers on government assistance, but denies the move is linked to President Trump’s tariffs.
Walmart imposes a $6.99 charge for grocery delivery and pickup orders below $35. However, during the pandemic, this fee was waived for participants in the program.
Walmart+ Assist program
, which offers discounts if you get SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, and other benefits. But it
returned
in late April.
The Daily Mail
claims
that “Walmart says the rollback is part of broader cost-cutting efforts, citing financial uncertainty caused by new tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.” But Walmart
told Mashable
that the basket fee revival is unrelated to Trump’s tariffs, pointing out that such fees are typical practices among similar stores like Target.
On April 9th, within the investment community
meeting
Walmart’s President and CEO, Doug McMillon, stated that they were still “determining the implications” of the current tariff situation. He pointed out that over sixty percent of their products sold within the U.S. originate from domestic sources. However, he also admitted that China and Mexico remain their primary importing countries.
Walmart grappled with Trump’s tariffs during his presidency.
first term
McMillon stated, “This presents itself as an excellent managerial chance, which is how I view it. Additionally, we will concentrate on aspects within our control. Our aim remains keeping prices at their lowest possible levels. While inventory management has consistently been crucial, it now holds greater significance under these circumstances.”
The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) recently estimated
20% to 30% price increases
for various electronics if Trump ramps up his tariffs on China and other Asian countries. Desktop prices could jump by an average of $287, followed by monitors at $111, while consoles could increase by a whopping $428, assuming vendors fully pass on the tariff cost to consumers.
Smaller companies are already getting hit hard. Adafruit, a New York-based DIY computer parts reseller, posted
a $36,126 import bill
for a shipment of components earlier this week. “Tariffs just got real,” it said in a post
on Bluesky.
Walmart has also been making some fairly big cuts recently, including axing hundreds of jobs in one of its offices in North Carolina
in February.
