By Jessica DiNapoli
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Newell Brands is looking for more clarity on how newly lowered U.S. tariffs will be applied before potentially resuming shipments of its Graco baby strollers and child car seats from China, a spokesperson said on Monday.
Atlanta-based manufacturer Newell, whose products range from coffee makers to pens, paused purchase orders on its China-made goods, which are primarily Graco baby products, in the short term to avoid 145% levies on shipments, CEO Chris Peterson told Reuters last month.
The company brought in sufficient inventory to ship to its customers such as Walmart and Target through mid-summer, Peterson said.
The Trump administration said last week it was looking at exempting strollers, cribs, car seats and other essential items for babies from tariffs.
The Newell spokesperson said the company is actively lobbying for relief from the tariffs through trade groups and on its own. Newell specifically wants clarity on how tariffs will be applied to shipments en route to the United States from China if negotiations fail, the spokesperson said.
Newell has already hiked prices on the baby goods by approximately 20% because of the tariffs, straining the budgets of new and expectant parents.
(Reporting by Jessica DiNapoli in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler)
