COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Local specialty food stores in Colorado Springs are bracing for potential price increases that could make imported Italian pasta unaffordable for many customers.
Euro Deli and Market manager Inna Lagonska is already concerned about how rising costs are affecting her business. European Union imports currently face a 15% tariff, but a new Commerce Department proposal could add an additional 92% tariff specifically on Italian pasta imports.
"We will have to unfortunately get excluded or just you know if they're way too overpriced because people come in here and already start saying, oh, I see prices going up and up and up every week," Lagonska said.
The dramatic price impact would be immediate. A box of Barilla pasta currently selling for $1.99 at King Soopers could jump to $4.11 with a 107% combined tariff. A bag of Rummo pasta would increase from $2.99 to $6.19.
The proposed tariffs stem from a U.S. study that found some pasta brands were selling products below market prices, a practice known as anti-dumping. Thirteen pasta makers are on the list of brands that could be impacted if the incoming Trump administration implements the anti-dumping duty.
- Agritalia
- Aldino
- Antiche Tradizioni Di Gragnano
- Barilla
- Gruppo Milo
- La Molisana
- Pastificio Artigiano Cav. Giuseppe Cocco
- Pastificio Chiavenna
- Pastificio Liguori
- Pastificio Lucio Garofalo
- Pastificio Sgambaro
- Pastificio Tamma
- Rummo
For specialty store owners, Lagonska tells News5 that her boss says the potential increases represent another challenge in an already difficult market.
"Nobody will be paying that much for those items," Lagonska said. "At this point we can't afford to continue buying them because we noticed the decline in sales. It's just not going to work at this rate we won't be able to sell them in the future."
Lagonska also says she prefers authentic imported products and is also concerned about affordability.
"I like genuine authentic imported things, and it's just going to be harder to afford," she said.
While grocery shoppers won't see immediate price increases, some pasta brands indicate they may stop exporting to the U.S. entirely starting in January if the tariffs take effect.
"It would mean that it would double at least in the price… we might try it just because you know, we have to sell something, right? And just see if people are willing to pay the price," Lagonska said.
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