FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2025
Contact: Misha Linnehan

Senator Hassan Requests Information About Impact of Tariffs on Prices from Amazon

Hassan, as Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee, seeks information from Amazon on impact of steel and aluminum tariffs

WASHINGTON – As part of her ongoing effort to measure the impact of President Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs on grocery costs, Joint Economic Committee Ranking Member Hassan (D-NH) is requesting information from Amazon about the impact of tariffs on prices. Her inquiry to Amazon follows recent reporting that Amazon has raised prices on more than 1,200 basic household and grocery items since the beginning of the Trump administration.

Ranking Member Hassan wrote, “High grocery prices are a top economic concern for Americans, and experts state that tariffs could significantly increase the cost of canned foods. Experts have also noted potential impacts from tariffs on the costs of shelving, equipment, transportation, and other inputs that grocery stores and their suppliers need to operate, which, in turn, could also lead to higher food prices for customers.”

Ranking Member Hassan also pointed out Amazon’s unique and substantial role in the grocery retail market: “As Amazon is the second-largest employer and the second-largest digital grocery retailer in the United States, information from your company can help Congress and the American people assess food cost increases for consumers, as well as the related consequences for employment and businesses in the grocery supply chain.”

Senator Hassan’s effort is part of her ongoing work as Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee and as a member of the Senate Finance Committee to lower costs for families, including by speaking out against President Trump’s reckless and haphazard tariffs. Last month, she launched an inquiry into the impact of steel and aluminum tariffs on grocery costs. She recently helped lead a Joint Economic Committee hearing examining barriers to supply chain modernization and ways to enhance U.S. manufacturing productivity. She has also met with New Hampshire businesses to learn more about the rising costs that they are facing in response to President Trump’s tariffs.

Click here to see the letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, or read below:

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Dear Mr. Jassy:

In light of recent reporting about price increases by Amazon.com, Inc. (Amazon), and as part of ongoing oversight by the Joint Economic Committee – Minority, I am writing to request information about the impact of President Trump’s 50 percent steel and aluminum tariffs on your stores, suppliers, and grocery costs.

High grocery prices are a top economic concern for Americans, and experts state that tariffs could significantly increase the cost of canned foods. Experts have also noted potential impacts from tariffs on the costs of shelving, equipment, transportation, and other inputs that grocery stores and their suppliers need to operate, which, in turn, could also lead to higher food prices for customers.

The United States imports nearly 70 percent of the steel that manufacturers use in canned fruits, vegetables, and other essential food items. The United States also imports roughly 50 percent of its aluminum, which manufacturers use for basic items like beverage cans, aluminum foil, and packaging. New steel and aluminum tariffs could increase store prices for items in steel cans by 9 to 15 percent, according to data released in June by the Consumer Brands Association, whose members include Campbell’s and Del Monte Foods.

Experts have also raised concerns about the impact of tariffs on grocery operations and logistics. In a May interview, Greg Ferrara, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Grocers Association, asked: “What does [the imposition of tariffs] do to the price of refrigeration? What does that do to the price of store shelving and other displays?” According to Ferrara, suppliers “can’t even touch” certain equipment due to price increases from tariffs.

Analysis by the credit rating agency S&P Global underscores the harmful impact of tariffs on grocers and their suppliers. For example, even prior to the latest steel and aluminum levies, refrigerator manufacturer Carrier Global Corp. and forklift manufacturer Hyster-Yale Inc. already faced potential credit downgrades related to tariffs.

As Amazon is the second-largest employer and the second-largest digital grocery retailer in the United States, information from your company can help Congress and the American people assess food cost increases for consumers, as well as the related consequences for employment and businesses in the grocery supply chain.

Recent securities filings from Amazon note the challenges the company faces from tariffs generally, but these statements were not specific to the impacts of steel and aluminum tariffs. During an April 10, 2025, interview with CNBC, you said: “We’re going to try and do everything we can to keep prices as low as possible for customers,” and during a May 1, 2025, investor call, you said that average retail prices were steady, explaining that “most sellers just haven’t changed pricing yet.”

More recently, during an interview with MSNBC on July 23, 2025, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said: “I was with the Amazon CEO last week, and he said, thus far, they’re not seeing any price increases” as a result of tariffs.

However, as noted above, a recent analysis by the Wall Street Journal found that since January, Amazon has raised prices on certain types of Campbell’s soup by 30 percent, on varieties of Bush’s beans by 22 percent, and on certain steel wire baskets used to store pantry items by 115 percent, among other price increases for 1,200 of its cheapest household goods.

To aid the Joint Economic Committee – Minority in its ongoing effort to analyze the impact of steel and aluminum tariffs, specifically, on food prices and jobs within the grocery supply chain, I request the following information on Amazon’s food and grocery retail operations:

1. A description of the supply chain disruptions or cost increases related to steel and aluminum tariffs that you anticipate, including regional variations and product categories affected.
2. A description of how tariffs are projected to impact the costs of private label goods such as canned foods and frozen meals, with specific examples.
3. A description of how acquisition or transportation disruptions have manifested—e.g., canceled orders, supplier changes, delivery delays, or cost increases.
4. Expenses over the past five quarters for acquiring and maintaining durable goods affected by tariffs (e.g., shelving, refrigeration), including number of employees or contractors involved.
5. An estimate of the number of jobs Amazon supports directly or indirectly in related sectors such as transportation, packaging, and food processing.
6. For your top 25 canned food and top 10 aluminum storage items by sales value:
   1. Total inventory cost, revenue, and margin for each of the past five quarters (nationally and by metro);
   2. Pricing before and after:
      • Tariffs as of January 1, 2025
      • Tariffs as of April 5, 2025
      • Tariffs as of June 4, 2025
   3. Description of how costs are distributed through the supply chain.
7. SNAP recipient trends for canned goods purchases over the past five quarters:
   • Proportion of canned goods per transaction
   • Number of canned goods per transaction
   • Brand name vs. private label mix
8. A description of the factors driving the reported price increases identified by the Wall Street Journal.
9. Supporting data for Amazon’s statement that “average prices have not changed up or down appreciably,” specifically for grocery and canned food items.

Please provide your responses no later than August 20, 2025.

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