Walking out of Trader Joe’s with a grocery bag in hand, USC staff member Erin Hult had something on her mind besides what she was going to have for dinner that night.
“Definitely, I think it’s on the forefront of every American’s mind right now,” Hult said.
She was referring to increasing grocery prices, which may result from President Trump’s proposed tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
This, and “just the worries that come with increased grocery costs and bills and things like that,” she said.
Many of Trader Joe’s products, including frozen items, come from Canada and may be impacted by Trump’s tariffs.
“Trying to figure out campus is hard enough as it is, budgeting is hard, the first time living on your own is hard,” said freshman public policy major Aine Govil. “And with the prices going up, it’s just, I think it’s another level of stress that a lot of us are just not prepared to handle.”
Life is already expensive, especially for college students. If food prices increase, many students will struggle.
After discussions with the leaders of Canada and Mexico, Trump has decided to postpone the planned tariffs. However, if these tariffs were implemented, everyday grocery prices could rise significantly. This would affect items like berries, avocados, fresh meat, tomatoes, and many frozen products—all of which are staples for sophomore Josh Cho.
“Pretty much all of these items are definitely on my weekly grocery list,” Cho said. “So, if prices go up, I guess I’ll start feeling the impact in about a month.”