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- Holiday toy prices surge as tariffs , war - driven energy costs squeeze shoppers
U.S. consumers face tighter holiday budgets as tariffs and energy costs push prices up. Toy prices rose 6.6% over the past year and 4.2% from August on a seasonally adjusted basis, faster than other consumer categories in the latest CPI report. China makes most toys sold in the U.S., and many are made with fossil-fuel-based plastics, so changing tariff policies and higher oil prices linked to the Middle East war add to costs. David Silverman of Fitch Ratings said the Iran conflict's impact on commodity and shipping costs will persist for several quarters. Basic Fun CEO Jay Foreman said current prices still reflect earlier, higher tariff rates, and that lower tariffs would reduce toy prices over time if other global issues ease.
- Holiday toy prices surge as tariffs , war - driven energy costs squeeze shoppers
Toy prices in the U.S. surged ahead of the holiday season, rising 6.6% over the past year and 4.2% from August on a seasonally adjusted basis, faster than other consumer categories. Causes include tariffs on Chinese goods, since China makes most toys sold in the U.S., and higher oil prices linked to the Middle East war, which raise the cost of fossil-fuel-based plastics and shipping. Tariffs on Chinese goods have fallen from an initial 145% to 30% since May 2025, but a Basic Fun executive says current prices still reflect earlier higher rates and could ease over time if other global issues subside. Mattel and Hasbro have also reported rising costs and margin pressure. A Reuters/Ipsos poll through October 5 found only 21% of voters approved of President Trump's handling of cost-of-living issues.
- Holiday toy prices surge as tariffs , war - driven energy costs squeeze shoppers
U.S. toy prices rose 6.6% over the past year in the latest consumer inflation data, and climbed 4.2% from August on a seasonally adjusted basis. Tariffs and higher energy costs linked to the Middle East war are pushing prices up, since China makes most toys sold in the U.S. and many are made with petroleum-based plastics. Fitch Ratings' David Silverman said the impact of the Iran conflict on commodity and shipping costs will persist for several quarters. Basic Fun CEO Jay Foreman said current prices reflect earlier higher tariff rates, and that lower tariffs would reduce toy prices over time if other global issues subside. Mattel and Hasbro cited inflationary pressures and higher input costs.
- Bread , Milk , Power and Petrol : Cost - of - Living Squeeze Deepens as Essentials Keep Rising
Stats NZ data for the year to September 2026 show food prices up 2.4%, with bread rising 6.3%, milk 6.8%, breakfast cereals 6% and mutton, lamb and hogget 10.7%. Electricity rose 9.5%, gas 11.4%, petrol 24.3% and diesel 55.8% over the same period, with petrol up 6.4% and diesel 7.8% in September alone, which Stats NZ partly attributes to international supply disruptions. The NZ Council of Trade Unions says cumulative increases since November 2023 are squeezing working households, particularly those on lower incomes, and criticises Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's Government for not delivering enough relief before the November 7 general election. The union notes that slower inflation does not mean prices are falling, as fruit and vegetable prices dropped 1.8% annually while grocery food rose 3%.
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