Kathrine Frich
Rising trade tensions are beginning to show up in unexpected places.
Across the United States, businesses are adjusting offerings as import costs climb.
The changes reflect how global policy decisions are reshaping everyday consumer choices.
Menu changes
American restaurants and retailers are increasingly replacing European wines and spirits with cheaper alternatives after new tariffs pushed up prices, Reuters reported cited by Hotnews.
Kristen Goceljak, wine director at New York-based Kent Hospitality Group, said some champagne and crémant brands may be removed from menus due to rising costs.
“It’s just too expensive,” she told Reuters.
Price pressures
Tariffs on European goods have increased import costs, with some products now facing surcharges of at least 10%.
Goceljak said she noticed price increases of around $5 per bottle for champagne and about $3 for crémant, with some suppliers raising prices by up to 20%.
These increases are forcing businesses to reconsider their wine lists and sourcing strategies.
Industry response
Distributors say the pressure is spreading across the sector. Lance Emerson of Republic National Distributing Company told Reuters that price hikes are becoming more visible, particularly for wine.
“The pressure to pass on the costs to consumers is increasing,” he said.
Retailers and restaurants are responding by adjusting menus, reducing imported selections and turning to domestic products.
Shifting demand
The impact is already visible in sales trends. Imported wine volumes fell by about 8% between October and January, while domestic wines saw a smaller decline.
Some US brands are benefiting from the shift. California-based Josh Cellars reported rising sales, which its parent company partly attributed to tariffs on imported competitors.
Restaurant owners say the changes go beyond wine. Some have replaced European cheeses and meats with local alternatives due to rising costs.
However, switching to domestic products does not always guarantee savings, as some US-made items are also becoming more expensive.
Sources: Reuters, Eurostat, Digi24.
