British households preparing for the festive season could face significantly higher costs for their Christmas decorations this year, as new US trade policies threaten to inflate the price of artificial trees.
Price Hikes Announced for Festive Firs
Mac Harman, the CEO of leading festive decor company Balsam Hill, has publicly announced that artificial Christmas tree prices are expected to rise by as much as 20 percent. This increase is a direct consequence of tariffs implemented by US President Donald Trump.
Harman has made appeals to White House officials, arguing that artificial trees should be exempt from these import taxes. He contends they are not strategic goods and, crucially, cannot be manufactured domestically in the United States.
Wider Impact on Consumer Wallets
The price surge comes at a time when many families are already feeling the pinch. Recent surveys indicate that a overwhelming 83 percent of U.S. households planning to have a tree in 2025 will opt for an artificial one. Furthermore, a significant 84 percent of consumers have already noticed an increase in the cost of their festive decorations.
This sentiment is echoed by retail experts. Mark Mathews from the National Retail Federation issued a stark warning, stating that businesses have reached a point where they can no longer absorb the additional costs imposed by tariffs. The financial burden is now being passed directly to the consumer.
White House Dismisses Economic Concerns
Despite these concerns from industry leaders, the White House has downplayed the economic impact. White House Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai dismissed the warnings as “doomsday fantasizing.”
In defence of the administration's position, Desai pointed to rising real wages and what he described as robust consumer spending under President Trump's leadership.
The situation highlights how international trade decisions can ripple across the Atlantic, directly affecting the festive budgets of families far beyond American borders.
