In an increasingly integrated global economy, tariffs (taxes applied to imported goods) play a decisive role in everyday economic life. While to many they may sound like a technical concept used by economists or trade specialists, in reality, they determine what we pay when filling the grocery cart, buying clothes online, or even replacing a household appliance.
Their increase may seem like a distant issue, unrelated to daily routines, but the effects directly impact the wallets of millions of Mexicans. Data reflects this clearly: a NielsenIQ survey revealed that more than half of citizens (55%) fear that tariffs will affect their family economy. This is not an unfounded concern: 64% of respondents said they had already noticed price hikes in food and basic goods, as well as changes in categories such as electronics and household items. These results show that, beyond the technical debate, tariffs have already become part of everyday conversations in Mexican households.
It is estimated that the new tariffs imposed on products imported from non-USMCA countries could trigger consumer price increases of 40% to 80% in certain goods (from appliances to textiles, furniture, toys, cosmetics, and automobiles) within a six- to 12-month period. These are not limited to “luxury goods:” many are everyday items that make up the consumption basket of millions of families.
But the impact does not stop at consumers. Many local businesses depend on imported parts and raw materials to maintain operations. Electronic components, metal parts, chemical inputs, or machinery all become more expensive upon arrival due to the new duties. Factories, with no other option and in order to keep their business model profitable, pass this extra cost on to the final product.
Statistics confirm this trend. According to INEGI data, in July 2025, Mexico’s manufacturing activity reported a 1.8% annual contraction, partly due to higher costs faced by industries when importing materials. What begins as a measure applied to foreign goods thus becomes a chain of price increases that ultimately affect products manufactured locally.
In a globalized environment, efficiency and competitiveness are essential. High tariffs distort the market, restricting consumers’ access to more affordable goods and to technological solutions that make daily life easier, thereby slowing innovation and market expansion. One of the most affected sectors is e-commerce; the implementation of a 33.5% tariff on parcel imports has radically altered the dynamics of cross-border online trade.
E-commerce is already a key player in the Mexican economy. According to AMVO, the value of Mexico’s retail e-commerce market in 2024 reached MX$789.7 billion (US$43 billion), representing a 20% growth compared to MX$658.3 billion in 2023. Beyond contributing 6.4% to GDP, e-commerce has been a driver of formalization. Thousands of micro and small businesses use digital platforms to expand their reach and sell beyond their local markets. Imagine a business dedicated to selling toys online, which also gained strong momentum thanks to foreign visitors to our country, and which depends on imports to keep its doors open. The rising cost of purchasing its supplies results in less inventory, and therefore, a lower sales volume, ultimately leading to the closure of the business in the medium term as it ceases to be profitable. One more entrepreneur left behind.
On the other hand, many consumers rely on e-commerce to purchase electronics, spare parts, kitchenware, educational toys, and even specialized health products. As the cost of these purchases rises, accessibility decreases and choices become limited for those who, until recently, viewed these platforms as a source of savings and variety. Sectors such as entertainment or fashion (where Mexican consumers had found affordable access to global trends) are now restricted. The result is not just a higher bill, but a consumption experience that is narrower and less connected to the world.
Furthermore, the decline in competitiveness of cross-border e-commerce also affects the local market. With less external pressure, some domestic suppliers reduce innovation or raise prices, since the competition that kept the ecosystem dynamic weakens. Instead of a virtuous cycle of competition and choice, consumers face a scenario of higher prices and fewer options.
Raising tariffs is not a decision without consequences: it creates a domino effect that ultimately strikes the Mexican consumer. It is important to recognize that the economy is not just about abstract figures, it has a face: the face of the person shopping at the supermarket who must choose between brands, the mother buying school supplies, the young adult saving up for a cell phone, or the entrepreneur seeking inputs for their business. When discussing trade policy, we must always think about how it affects consumers, because in the end, it is their purchases that keep the entire system in motion.
Each increase, though seemingly small in percentage terms, translates into real-life sacrifices: forgoing a product, replacing it with one of lower quality, or simply doing without it. In short, the Mexican consumer is the one ultimately bearing the weight of tariff decisions. In the end, the question that should guide the discussion is simple: How do these measures impact the daily lives of Mexicans? Because the answer is not found in analysts’ offices, but at the tables of households that face the challenge of making their income stretch every single day.
