High tariffs

The USA is proposing revising tariffs to 25 per cent, on products from México and Canada, and even China. There will be possible reciprocals. This will have repercussions for ordinary consumers in these countries.

Consumers get habituated to the tastes, flavours and aromas of the various products that they consume daily. There are many everyday products like milk, butter, cream, yoghurt, fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, seafood, alcoholic drinks, etc., which consumers are habituated to. These products move between these countries.

There is a comfort factor in the brands and products, with which a person is familiar. Many expatriates even after staying for years in a new country, pine for their own home-country brands of biscuits or chilli-ketchup. Their palates miss specific tastes and favours.

If the choice brands of consumers become very expensive suddenly due to tariffs, they have to search for alternatives. Sure, they will find them. Butter, cheese, meat products, etc., are daily use items. Substitutes for these basics are always available. However, the human palate takes time to adjust to new tastes and flavours.

So, is it worth putting millions of consumers through the inconvenience of getting used to new brands or new substitutes, by raising tariffs radically? Citizens are consumers too. We should respect their palates, taste-preferences and brand loyalties. The first job of any government should be to make the life of the people comfortable and easy.

Rajendra Aneja,

Mumbai, India