Press Release
Statement from NBWA on the Impact of Tariffs on America’s Beer and Beverage Distributors
Alexandria, VA – NBWA is concerned about the unintended consequences of tariffs on family-owned businesses like beer and beverage distributors and their employees, as well as the chilling effect of inflation on consumer spending.
America’s beer and beverage distributors contribute $56 billion to the American economy and employ 135,000 hard-working Americans across every state and locality.
Rising costs will make it harder for these businesses to preserve their workforce and invest in their employees, to purchase the products they need to serve their customers, and to maintain and grow their operations.
Increased prices on all goods caused by retaliatory tariffs will make it harder for consumers to purchase their favorite beverages, in turn hurting local retailers and their ability to serve their communities.
The American beer market boasts a tremendous variety of beverages from the smallest local brewers to global offerings – increased costs and supply chain challenges threaten to undermine the success of this robust marketplace.
The American beer industry delivers refreshment that helps bring people together to enjoy family, friendship and community. NBWA is eager to work together to keep beer an affordable luxury for Americans to enjoy and to allow beer distributors, our hospitality partners and their hardworking employees to keep driving growth.
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The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) represents America’s 3,000 independent beer distributors who service every state, congressional district, and media market across the country. Licensed at the federal and state levels, beer distributors get bottles, cans, cases, and kegs from a brewer or importer to stores, restaurants, and other licensed retail accounts through a transparent and accountable regulatory system.
Distributors build brands of all sizes – from familiar domestic beers to new startup labels and imports from around the world – and generate enormous consumer choice while supporting more than 135,000 quality jobs in their home communities. Beer distributors work locally to keep communities safe by sponsoring programs to promote responsible consumption, combat drunk driving, and reduce underage drinking.