Steel Tariffs Drive Up Grocery Prices, Hurting Families

Trump could end tariffs on tinplate steel and aluminum to lower costs for canned foods and beverages

Apr. 9, 2026 at 9:06am

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A bold, geometric illustration using primary colors and clean lines to conceptually represent the rising prices of canned foods and beverages due to steel and aluminum tariffs.Tariffs on steel and aluminum drive up the cost of canned goods, squeezing family budgets.Gary Today

Tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum have driven up the prices of canned foods, beverages, and other grocery items in the U.S., with costs being passed on to consumers. The 50% tariffs have made it more expensive to can and sell American-grown foods in America than to import canned goods, leading to plant closures and job losses in the food can industry. The president has the power to exempt these materials from tariffs, which would quickly lower grocery prices for American families.

Why it matters

The steel and aluminum tariffs have had unintended consequences, making it more costly to produce and sell American-grown foods in the U.S. compared to importing canned goods. This has led to plant closures, job losses, and higher prices for consumers on everyday grocery items, putting a strain on family budgets.

The details

The 50% tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum have driven up the prices of tinplate steel and aluminum used to make food and beverage cans. Domestic production only meets about 30% of demand, so the tariffs have been largely passed on to consumers. This has added hundreds of millions in extra costs for major food brands, leading to plant closures like the Del Monte facility in Modesto, California. The tariffs have also hit the beer industry hard, adding about 3 cents per can in extra costs that are being passed on to shoppers.

  • In November 2025, President Trump signed an executive order exempting some food products like bananas, coffee, and beef from his global tariffs.
  • Earlier this year, the Del Monte Foods cannery in Modesto, California shut down, eliminating 600 full-time and up to 900 seasonal jobs.

The players

Donald Trump

The President of the United States, who has used tariffs as a tool of diplomacy and foreign policy, including imposing a 50% tariff on foreign steel and aluminum.

Odus Hall

A union representative at the now-shut-down Del Monte cannery in Modesto, California.

U.S. Steel

One of the two domestic producers of tinplate steel, a niche product essential for food cans.

Ohio Coatings Co.

The other domestic producer of tinplate steel, which along with U.S. Steel only meets about 30% of U.S. demand.

Phil Kerpen

The president of American Commitment, a leading free-market policy analyst, nationally syndicated columnist, and author.

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What they’re saying

“All that tariff did was increase the cost of canned foods, making it that much more difficult for them to compete in the market against imported peaches that come in already canned.”

— Odus Hall, Union representative

“Free trade isn't just an ideology or theory; it's a proven driver of prosperity, innovation, competition, efficiency and lower prices for American families.”

— Phil Kerpen, President, American Commitment

What’s next

President Trump should end the Section 232 tariffs on tinplate steel and aluminum used for cans to lower grocery costs for American families.

The takeaway

The unintended consequences of the steel and aluminum tariffs, including plant closures, job losses, and higher prices for consumers on everyday grocery items, highlight the need for the president to reconsider these tariffs in order to ease the financial burden on American families.