Toasts Not Tariffs warns Trump ‘consequences will be severe’
“Consequences will be severe,” the Toasts Not Tariffs coalition has warned, as more than 21,000 signatories have backed a petition pleading with US president Donald Trump to remove tariffs on EU wines and spirits.
The petition was delivered to president Trump yesterday (10 December), and urges the immediate removal of tariffs on US, EU and UK spirits and wine products. This was the second petition sent to Trump in six months.
In the petition, the coalition wrote: “If the 15% tariff on EU spirits and wines and the 10% tariff on UK spirits continues, the consequences will be severe.
“US restaurants and bars, already battling rising costs and declining wine and spirits sales, will be hit with another blow that could trigger even more job losses, reduce consumer choice and stall economic activity across the country.”
The letter also stresses how the wine and spirits industries contribute more than US$476 billion annually to the economy, and support more than 3.5 million jobs.
Furthermore, when the EU previously imposed a 25% retaliatory tariff on American whiskeys from 2018 to 2021, exports to the EU plummeted by 20%.
As it stands, the EU’s retaliatory tariff on American alcohol is suspended. However, without a permanent resolution, the US faces a 30% tariff hit in February 2026 when the suspension expires.
The petition went on to stress: “The hospitality industry, which includes restaurants, bars, retail stores, etc, is not just a sector. It’s a cornerstone of American life.
“It employs millions of Americans, generates trillions in annual revenue, and helps communities connect.
“Spirits and wines are more than commodities; they are cultural ambassadors.
“They are unique products, often tied to specific geographical regions. Production of these products cannot simply be relocated to circumvent the tariffs.”
In June, the previous petition received support from more than 19,000 people, who were concerned about how tariffs would affect American businesses and consumer choice.
Tariffs have already hit the industry. In Canada, American spirits have been removed from store shelves in direct response to tariffs. In its latest financial results, Jack Daniel’s owner Brown-Forman felt the effects of this move, and its second-quarter sales plunged by 61% in the market.
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