Research Ties Tariffs to Grocery Costs in Import-Exposed States

States differ in how exposed their food supplies are to imports that could become more costly under U.S. tariffs: Illinois ranks fifth, Pennsylvania sixth, Georgia eighth, Washington 13th and Virginia 14th. The articles warn that tariffs can raise grocery costs because importers may pass higher costs for staples such as coffee, fruit, seafood and chocolate through to consumers; Federal Reserve research found tariffs imposed in 2025 contributed to retail price increases over time. Although the legal basis and rates of the Trump administration’s tariffs have shifted, the articles report that the average effective tariff rate remained substantially above its pre-2025 level as of July 2026.