SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Incoming tariffs on several imported foods have some people stockpiling groceries, but how much money could that save you down the road?
“Things that might be affected by the tariffs — San Marzano tomatoes from Italy, coffee, chocolate,” said Adam Zack, owner of Jensen’s in Point Loma.
Zack and I walked through Jensen's aisles to find foods made in other countries. Less perishable items that people could buy now and save for later, to avoid spending more when President Trump’s tariffs go into effect.
"The hard cheeses are the ones you could save for a while, stock up on a little bit,” Zack said.
According to MarketWatch, more than 40 percent of Americans are stockpiling groceries in anticipation of price increases. Sales spiked on nonperishables like canned vegetables, instant coffee, and ketchup right after Trump’s largest tariff announcement on April 2nd.
“I’m anticipating increases,” said Carol Arnett, a local shopper.
Arnett saves on perishables by buying in bulk and then vacuum-sealing them to last.
“I vacuum pack and freeze half of those, and then we have nice fresh stuff throughout the month.”
Zack recommends stocking up if you’re particular about buying certain foreign goods. Wine, olive oil, chocolate, coffee, or cheese could store well..
“Especially if you have a favorite chocolate and say this is the only one I like, then you’d want to stock up on that, say it's from Belgium or France.”
But overall, Zack says you’ll probably only save a couple of dollars. He believes prices on nonperishable items won't fluctuate much even when tariffs go into effect.
“You might see something that costs $4 now, maybe it goes to $4.50. I don't think it’ll be huge.”
He says the best idea is to get flexible with your grocery choices: shopping for locally sourced brands that might not be impacted.
