Capital Economy, Business and Finance
Times are tough for Chinese fast-fashion retailers, who face a major hit from Donald Trump’s decision to scrap the “de minimus” exemption, which allows packages worth less than $800 to be shipped inspection- and duty-free to the US.
It’s estimated Chinese retailers Temu and Shein account for more than 30 per cent of all packages shipped daily under the rule.
Meanwhile Brussels is examining the possibility of phasing out an exemption on customs duties for parcels under €150.
Scrapping the 100-year old “de minimus” rule is significant, and an example of how anti-Chinese trade policy is catching on.
As one MAGA newsletter quips: “If we’re going to fuel an ethos of bottomless consumerism, at least fill the landfills with made-in-America knicknacks.”
