Port of Lar imports fell nearly 20% in May, but it could mean higher prices for school and Halloween items, meaning fewer options

• As the peak trade season approaches, Imports at the Port of Los Angeles fell 19% in May compared to April and 9% a year ago, as a result of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. When the executive director of the port in LA warns that there is less cargo, the number of items available can be returned to school and affect winter holiday products.

New data from the Port of Los Angeles and Yale Budget Labs show that sudden tariffs continue to cut US imports, and consumers are not yet on the brunt of its impact.

It imports volumes through the Port of Los Angeles, the country’s latest trading center. It fell 19% in May 9% a year ago as a result of President Donald Trump’s trade policy compared to the previous month.

Jeanseroca, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, told reporters Friday that higher prices as a result of tariffs would likely mean less consumer products and more expensive items towards the end of the year.

“Currently, buying products from China costs 1.5 times more than the original year, making all kinds of products very expensive, consumers have lower inventory, fewer store shelves choices, and higher prices, creating a decision platform for the companies that are not necessarily the best.

The drop in imports last month came despite Trump retreating some of his highest tariff rates.

In April, many of the products departing China for the US were taxed at 145% before May. Trade Contract We have reduced tariffs by 115%. But the economist says so Return tax The “liberation date” level is high enough to wipe out trade between the US and China.

Summer marks the beginning of the peak trading season. This is a bust of cargo activities in preparation for major shopping events later in the year. But as Halloween shipping periods returned to school, Celoka said the port was “very slow” and warned of rising goods and prices not only for autumn but also for winter.

“That cargo for these microseasons needs to be here now,” he said. “I’m not necessarily looking at it at the inventory level.”

He added: “Retailers aren’t telling me they’re starting Thanksgiving week and increasing stock levels to make a wide selection of products that run through the end of the year.”

Empty shelf, higher price

Beyond consumers facing vacant shelves in stores, they will feel the impact of tariffs on their wallets. According to June, prices for items like shoes increased by 31% in the short term as a result of 2025 tariffs data From Yale Budget Lab. Apparel prices are up 28% for short-term consumers.

For consumers, more expensive products mean that price levels, which cost households an average of $2,500 disposable income per data, will increase by an average of 1.5%. Most consumers will see more steep prices, but low-income shoppers feel the biggest stretch. Consumers at the bottom of the income scale will increase their price levels by 2.5%.

Ernie Tedesci, director of economics at Yale’s Budget Lab, argued that not only higher prices, but uncertainty surrounding tariffs contributed to consumer pullbacks.

“Consumers and businesses who don’t know what tariff policy will be at the end of this press conference were sitting for an hour to an hour () for a week, a month, and would not make all the investment and employment decisions they would buy over the long term if they were certain of what the policy was,” he told reporters.

When a shopper runs to advance ahead of the tariffs, Consumer spending has risen In March and the first quarter spending on durable goods rose to $2.2 trillion, up 2.3% from the previous year.

“It’s very clear that the main driving the durability shift was expecting tariffs,” Tedeski said. In April, when tariffs increased, My spending has been slower.

If tariffs were leveled, he warned that price increases would likely stick as a result of companies adapting and subsidizing their supply chain. Yale Budget Lab, for example, calculated a 15% increase in apparel prices and a 10% increase in textile prices in the long term.

“The economy, consumers and businesses have an opportunity to respond,” Tedeski said. “It can’t alleviate price increases.”

This story was originally introduced Fortune.com