The Trump administration has extended its “Liberation Day” and country-specific reciprocal tariffs, originally paused in April, to now kick in on August 1 via executive order. These tariffs will affect 14 countries unless trade deals can be agreed and they will ripple through global supply chains, complicating cost control, contract compliance, and delivery timelines. So, what do the experts assess as the best chance, from a procurement perspective, of navigating what may be a turbulent period ahead?
- Melanie Hilton, SVP of Customer Success at GS1 US, notes that with tariffs “a branding advantage is emerging.” More specifically, “Made in the USA” is more than a marketing slogan—it’s a trust signal. Consumers increasingly prioritize local production, sustainability, and transparency. Small businesses that emphasize U.S.-based sourcing can turn supply chain shifts into a competitive edge, attracting shoppers looking for reliability and ethical sourcing.”
- Pierre Lapree, CPO at SpendHQ, notes “in many companies, tariff exposure is still buried: country of origin isn’t linked to suppliers, HTS codes aren’t standardized, and finance teams are working from assumptions, not facts.” As far as solutions go, even high-cost AI investments won’t help unless these blind spots are filled in.
- Richie Daigle, a supply chain evangelist at Tive, says “This isn’t normal volatility; it’s a structural shift. When every player rushes at once, just in time becomes just in chaos. Companies are front-loading orders to beat the new deadline, but when everyone rushes at once, ports clog, equipment disappears, and reliability collapses. The real cost won’t be the duties: it’ll be the $20,000 perishable container stuck at a congested port. We’re already seeing manufacturers dual-sourcing high-tariff items and smart players are rerouting through secondary ports and stockpiling inventory. But this creates new vulnerabilities. Thieves target less-secure alternate routes, and overstretched carriers could cut corners on security. Security is something more people should be talking about, because tariff chaos is creating a golden era for cargo thieves.”