LG has announced it’s upping the price of washing machines in the United States, thanks to a new import tax imposed by President Trump.
The firm said the tariffs on front- and top-loading machines will be largely passed on to US consumers wishing to buy LG’s white goods (via Reuters).
Tariffs on the company will be 20% on the first 1.2 million machines imported into the US, while anything beyond that will be levied with a 50% charge.
The firm has yet to reveal just how much more expensive its machines will be as a result, but it seems a significant bump might be on the way.
The US International Trade Commission reckons foreign companies are “a substantial cause of serious injury to domestic manufacturers” and hopes this will encourage people to buy American goods.
LG reckons it’s a “misguided decision” – and fans of its washing machines are likely to agree.
Related: Best washing machines 2018
Trump’s new War On Foreign Washing Machines is part of the same ruling likely to undermine the growth of the solar industry in the United States.
30% tariffs will be placed on imported solar panels, largely from China, which has led to predictions that 26,000 jobs in the US could be at risk (via CNN).
“This reckless decision will threaten tens of thousands of American jobs and hurt our climate,” said Howard Crystal, a lawyer for the Center for Biological Diversity.
Meanwhile, Edward Alden of the Council on Foreign Relations added: “If you were thinking about installing solar in your house, it’s going to become a little less attractive…the cost of solar installation will go up a bit.”
Will you buy ‘merican at Trump’s behest? Or do you plan to pay more for an LG machine just to spite him? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
