Trump’s tariffs raise costs for stores and restaurants that import Italian pasta
But here's where it gets controversial: Italian cuisine has just earned UNESCO recognition as the first gastronomic tradition designated as intangible cultural heritage, yet American cooks may face tariffs that could double the cost of Italian pasta, a staple of that cuisine. Deema Zein reports.
Note: Transcripts are machine- and human-generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.
Amna Nawaz:
Yesterday, Italian cuisine gained a new honor, becoming the first culinary tradition to be recognized as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, the U.N.'s cultural body. However, in the United States, a looming tariff could significantly raise the price of pasta from Italy, a key element of that cuisine.
Deema Zein:
For Diana Calcagno, pasta is part of her family’s history. She runs Vace, a respected Italian grocery and deli in Washington, D.C., and nearby Bethesda, Maryland, a business her parents started almost five decades ago.
Diana Calcagno, Manager, Vace:
Pasta creates a strong bond with our customers. It’s about generations—fathers, then their children, and now the grandchildren—sharing pasta and pizza night.
Deema Zein:
But one of the store’s core products, pasta imported from Italy, may soon be endangered.
Diana Calcagno:
In our shelves, you’ll find spaghetti, bucatini, and orecchiette, among others.
Deema Zein:
That reality pushes them to stock up whenever possible.
Diana Calcagno:
Some customers have asked if we’ll still carry traditional pastas. We’ve started compiling a list of items and contingency plans to manage the potential disruption.
Deema Zein:
Vace is just one of many businesses across the country preparing for a recent U.S. Department of Commerce announcement.
As early as January, pasta from 13 major Italian producers could face a 92 percent tariff on top of the existing 15 percent tariff on all European goods. In total, that could push prices to roughly 107 percent higher.
Diana Calcagno:
The news gives me goose bumps. The sheer amount of the proposed tariff is surprising and worrying. We’re uncertain about how customers will respond and how quickly prices may adjust.
Deema Zein:
For shoppers, the development has been frustrating amid years of rising food costs.
Woman:
It doesn’t feel fair.
Man:
Not being able to buy pasta is concerning because pasta is a basic staple that many people rely on.
Chiara Donegani, Aston University:
Pasta is not a luxury; it’s a basic food and a symbol of the Mediterranean diet.
Deema Zein:
Chiara Donegani is a researcher and professor at Aston University in the U.K. She co-authored a piece describing what she calls "The Great Pasta War."
While the U.S. government argues that the tariffs are a response to Italian pasta makers allegedly dumping their product in the American market, Donegani has found little evidence to support that claim.
Chiara Donegani:
Italian pasta sold in the U.S. is typically priced higher, not lower. Market share for Italian producers has remained fairly stable, with no signs of predatory pricing to squeeze out competitors.
Deema Zein:
For Italian pasta makers, the tariff could be a fatal blow, especially for small and medium-sized producers.
Margherita Mastromauro is president of the pasta makers sector of Unione Italiana Food, a trade group.
Margherita Mastromauro (via interpreter):
The United States imports about 300,000 tons of Italian pasta worth around $700 million. The tariff would effectively halt these imports because prices would more than double, making production unprofitable and uncompetitive.
Deema Zein:
Donegani, who is Italian by origin, views the tariffs as a political move rather than a matter of economic fairness.
Chiara Donegani:
The tariff sends a signal that no sector is safe and puts political pressure on global trade.
Deema Zein:
The tariffs are still preliminary and will be finalized by January 2. While Italian pasta accounts for only about 12 percent of the U.S. market, grocers are already feeling the impact.
Max Evans, Owner, A. Litteri:
Saturday was the first day in memory that reminded me of the early pandemic—shelves emptied quickly as pasta sold out.
Deema Zein:
Max Evans, who runs a small Italian grocer in Northeast Washington, D.C., is ordering more to keep up with demand and notes that not all pasta is the same.
Max Evans:
Italian pasta is like Italian wine—region-specific and highly varied. You won’t find the same breadth and nuance in American-made products.
Deema Zein:
Ultimately, the cost pressure will fall on customers who want to keep Italian pasta on their plates.
Man:
Italian pasta is the best in the city. Tariffs would dampen demand and feel pointless in practice.
Deema Zein:
Back in Maryland, Calcagno says that even though tariffs haven’t taken effect yet, suppliers are already raising prices, which could push customers away.
Diana Calcagno:
People aren’t splurging on small luxuries like a $25 bottle of wine. They’re prioritizing the main course, and I’ve heard customers complain about rising costs. I’m worried about what comes next.
Deema Zein:
For now, Calcagno hopes there might be a reprieve or revisions to the tariffs.
For PBS NewsHour, I’m Deema Zein.
