Walmart reinstates controversial fee but denies it’s linked to Trump tariffs

In a controversial move, Walmart recently reinstated a so-called 'basket fee' for customers on government assistance. The shopping giant has denied that the move is linked to President Trump's tariffs, although some have questioned the timing of the revived levy (Picture: Getty Images)

Walmart charges a $6.99 fee for grocery delivery and pickup orders under $35. During the pandemic, it waived that fee for those who participate in the Walmart+ Assist program, which offers discounts if you get SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, or any other similar benefits from the US government. But the fee returned in late April (Picture: Getty Images)

It was reported that Walmart had attributed the cost-cutting move to 'financial uncertainty caused by new tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump', but the company quickly denied this. It told Mashable that the basket fee revival has nothing to do with Trump's tariffs, noting that these types of fees are standard practices for comparable retailers like Target (Picture: Getty Images)

During an April 9 investment community meeting, Walmart President and CEO Doug McMillon said: 'We are one week into this new tariff environment so we’re still working through what it means.' He noted that 'more than two-thirds of what we sell in the US is made, grown or assembled in the US,' but acknowledged that 'China and Mexico are the most significant' import partners for the firm (Picture: Getty Images)

Walmart dealt with Trump tariffs during his first term, McMillon commented. 'We're not unfamiliar with tariffs over time and it's a very fluid situation,' he said. 'It's a management opportunity and that's the way that I think about it is. We can't control some things. We're going to focus on what we can control. We're going to do our best to keep prices as low as we can. Inventory management is always important, but it becomes even more important in this environment' (Picture: Getty Images)

Some smaller companies say they are already getting hit hard by the tariffs. Adafruit, a New York-based DIY computer parts reseller, posted a $36,126 import bill for a shipment of components earlier this week. 'Tariffs just got real,' it said in a post on Bluesky (Picture: Getty Images)

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) recently estimated 20% to 30% price increases for various electronics if Trump ramps up his tariffs on China and other Asian countries. Desktop prices could jump by an average of $287, followed by monitors at $111. While consoles could increase by a whopping $428. That's assuming that vendors decide to fully pass on the tariff cost to consumers (Picture: Getty Images)