By Rounak Bagchi

Copyright timesnownews

Swedish furniture giant IKEA has warned that customers in the United States may soon face higher prices following President Donald Trump’s decision to impose new tariffs on imported furniture and related products. “Our goal is to offer affordable, good-quality home furnishings to everyone,” the company told Newsweek. “In our experience across the markets we operate in, tariffs make these ambitions more difficult.” The statement comes after the Trump administration announced steep new duties on a range of imported goods, including patented pharmaceuticals, heavy trucks, timber, and furniture. In a post on Truth Social, President Trump said: “We will be imposing a 50 percent Tariff on all Kitchen Cabinets, Bathroom Vanities, and associated products, starting October 1st, 2025. Additionally, we will be charging a 30 percent Tariff on Upholstered Furniture.” The President argued that the measures were necessary to address what he described as a flood of imports threatening US manufacturing and national security. The new duties form part of a broader protectionist trade agenda pursued by the Trump administration since returning to office. The move also follows a number of government probes into the United States’ reliance on imported timber and derivative products, including furniture and cabinetry. In March, the Commerce Department launched an investigation under Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act, examining whether the nation’s dependence on foreign timber and lumber poses a national security risk. The results of that probe have yet to be released. In August, Trump announced the start of what he described as a “major tariff investigation” into the furniture sector, which he said would conclude within 50 days and determine new tariff rates. Newsweek said it had contacted the Commerce Department for comment and for clarification on how the new tariffs could affect US prices, but did not receive an immediate response. IKEA’s US operations generated $5.5 billion in sales in its most recent financial year, making the country its second-largest market after Germany. The company told Newsweek that it was “closely monitoring the evolving situation” and could not guarantee that it would be able to keep prices stable once the tariffs take effect. “The tariffs are impacting our business similarly to other companies, and we are closely monitoring the evolving situation,” IKEA said. “We aim to minimize any potential impact on prices and ensure that IKEA remains affordable.” Industry analysts say the tariffs could place companies like IKEA in a difficult position—balancing higher import costs against the need to remain affordable for increasingly cost-conscious American consumers. Consumer advocacy organisations have warned that the latest round of tariffs could push prices higher for shoppers already struggling with inflation. “The administration’s latest round of tariffs will increase prices and harm consumers,” said Ethan Weiland, a research associate at the Consumer Federation of America, speaking to Newsweek. Alongside the new furniture duties, the administration has also announced a 100 percent tariff on branded and patented pharmaceutical imports, as well as a 25 percent import tax on heavy-duty trucks—all part of a sweeping effort to boost domestic manufacturing. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US News and around the World.