The holiday shopping season is in full swing, and so is the Tariff Grinch. New analysis shows current tariffs amount to a $29 billion tax on the 2025 holiday season, adding up to an extra $132 for the average shopper. With 88% of clothing and 69% of electronics imported, many of the most common gifts like sweaters, toys, and headphones all come with a pinch. Imported clothing is roughly 29% more expensive, toys 22%, and about 70% of these costs are being passed directly to consumers.
That hurts at a time when many families are already stretched. But there is a way to fight back and keep more of your hard-earned dollars working here at home.
Buy local: The antidote to the Tariff Grinch
Locally produced goods rely far less on imported materials, making them less vulnerable to tariffs. And when you shop at a Maine-owned business, the impact is huge:
- For every $100 spent locally, $68 stays in the community
- Those dollars re-circulate 6 to 15 times, supporting local jobs, services, and vibrant Main Streets
- Shifting just 10% of spending to local stores could boost economic activity dramatically. In Cumberland County alone, MECEP found it could generate more than $231 million.1
A Maine Main Street advantage
Maine is rich with opportunities to shop local. We have around 14,000 independent retailers, most of them single-owner businesses rooted in their communities. Holiday markets, maker fairs, and Main Street shops offer gifts with real meaning, without the tariff premium.
And let’s be honest: there’s nothing better than a December stroll through a Maine downtown interacting with friends and neighbors, enjoying a cup of warm cider or hot chocolate, and supporting the businesses that support local causes and keep our towns thriving.
So this season, don’t let the Tariff Grinch steal more from your wallet than he has to. Choose local. Support your neighbors. And keep Maine’s economy strong.
Note
[1] Adjusted for change in retails sales between 2007-2025 using Maine Revenue Services data.