American retailers are adding a controversial new charge to receipts – the ‘Trump Tariff Surcharge’ – as the US-China trade dispute sends shockwaves worldwide.

The surcharge is the latest move by US companies grappling with surging import tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, with some Chinese goods now attracting levies of up to 145%.

While Trump has granted a temporary 90-day pause on some tariffs, imports from China remain firmly in the crosshairs – causing a knock-on effect for consumers and businesses.

Retailers and manufacturers across industries – from sex tech to wedding dresses – are now passing the costs directly onto shoppers, labelling them explicitly as tariff surcharges. Companies argue this brings transparency to pricing changes, and in some cases, a dose of protest.

Sexual wellness brand Dame Products has gone viral for introducing a $5 “Trump Tariff Surcharge” on some of its products. Co-founder Alexandra Fine says the company, which manufactures in China, wanted to be upfront with customers about why prices were rising.

“It doesn’t cover the full cost – not even close -but it felt better than pretending everything’s fine,” Fine told The Wall Street Journal. “This is about transparency and accountability.”

Other companies are following suit. Jolie Skin Co., which makes filtered-water showerheads, announced it would add a “Trump Liberation Tariff” at checkout. “We’re not raising our prices,” CEO Ryan Babenzien wrote on LinkedIn. “Trump is.”

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said the impact on the retail giant’s marketplace is “substantial,” especially since 60% of Amazon’s sellers are based in China. Jassy expects many of them to raise prices or pass surcharges on to consumers.

Specialty retailers like LittleMachineShop and Jan’s Boutique have also implemented visible tariff breakdowns, citing surging costs from Chinese-made inventory.

The move has sparked a wider trend among smaller, digitally native brands looking to remain financially viable while also making a political statement, without alienating their base.

The trend has been so widespread that discussions are emerging in tech forums about e-commerce platforms like Shopify potentially introducing built-in tools for tariff line items. For now, merchants are scrambling to develop custom plugins or use third-party apps to manage these charges dynamically.

Despite the current 90-day pause on new tariffs – excluding China – the White House says Trump is “open to a deal” but remains committed to reducing America’s trade deficit.

While this surcharge trend is playing out stateside, experts say Aussie retailers could see similar pressures if global supply chains tighten further due to continued US-China tensions.