Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) President Robert Budway issued the following statement today in response to tariffs enacted on imports of steel and aluminum by the Trump Administration:

“While we support President Donald Trump’s efforts to address unfair trade practices, tariffs on steel and aluminum will increase prices for canned foods and beverages. Consumers will feel the inflationary impact of these tariffs at the grocery store.

“Recent history has demonstrated that trade protectionist measures have serious impacts for the U.S. economy and domestic food security. Aluminum and steel tariffs place price pressures on American-produced goods by artificially and dramatically increasing the cost of critical production materials, making U.S.-made food less competitive against foreign products.

“Since the 2018 tariffs, America’s tin mill steel producers shut down nine tin mill lines. Today, only three domestic production lines remain open in the United States, meaning American steel producers cannot meet U.S. demand with the highest tinplate steel costs in the world. This opens the door for cheaper canned foods to flood the U.S. market from China and other foreign competitors.

“Our members make the highest-quality metal packaging for food and beverages. We are calling on President Trump to provide targeted tariff relief, ensuring steel and aluminum cans and the products packaged in those cans continue to be ‘Made in America.’”