How might tariffs on China affect your fireworks purchases this Fourth of July?
- - - How might tariffs on China affect your fireworks purchases this Fourth of July?
Tim Hrenchir, Topeka Capital-JournalJune 30, 2025 at 6:02 AM
Fireworks buffs may get less bang for their buck this Fourth of July due to the United States' ongoing tariff war with China, which provides 96.3% of this nation's fireworks.
That's among conclusions of a study put out last month by ValuePenguin, a research and analysis-focused subsidiary of the online lending marketplace LendingTree.
The study also determined that Missouri ranked first in the nation in annual spending to import fireworks.
A fireworks display explodes in the sky of Ames, Iowa on Wednesday, July 3, 2024.Tariff situation causes costs to skyrocket
The U.S. last year imported $452 million in fireworks from China, according to the survey.
"That $452.0 million value would equate to $1.1 billion under a 145% tariff on Chinese exports to the U.S.," the report said.
That tariff took effect in early April.
However, the report noted that the U.S. and China agreed to temporarily roll back tariffs May 12, lowering that figure to 30% for the 90 days that the rollback remains in effect, which extends into August.
"Under a 30% tariff, $452.0 million in value would equate to $587.7 million," it said.
Fireworks company says it saw tariffs coming and prepared
The tariffs should have less effect on larger fireworks companies that buy fireworks from China throughout the year, said Jason Marietta, retail sales director for Pittsburg, Kansas-based Jake's Fireworks.
Jake operates four locations in Topeka, with one going by the name "Wholesale Fireworks," and a fifth outside city limits in unincorporated Shawnee County.
The company has been ordering fireworks a year in advance, Marietta said.
"We anticipated there could be something down the road tariff-wise, so we tried to get a lot of our stuff in early," he said.
Biggest ramifications from tariffs may come in 2026
The tariffs will probably hurt the smaller fireworks businesses more than it does the larger ones, Marietta said.
He said fireworks consumers in general this year will likely see "maybe a little bit of an increase" in the amounts they pay, but nothing more than the rising costs they've been paying for various other products.
This coming Fourth of July may also be characterized by "a bit of a shortage" of available fireworks, though the shortage won't be as serious as the one consumers expected during the COVID pandemic, Marietta said.
He said he expected fireworks consumers to see more ramifications from tariffs on the Fourth of July in 2026, when increased demand is expected because that holiday will fall on a Saturday and Americans will be celebrating their nation's 250th anniversary.
Fireworks spending per person
The ValuePenguin study found that Missourians come in first regarding annual spending per person to import fireworks.
Missouri imported $85.7 million in fireworks last year, or $13.84 per resident, compared to $25.8 million and $8.79 per resident for second-place Kansas, and $13.9 million and $7.02 per resident for third-place Nebraska, the study said.
Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri have some of the most relaxed fireworks laws in the country.
Ranking from fourth through 10th, respectively, were Wyoming, Alabama, South Dakota, Montana, South Carolina, Ohio and North Dakota.
Massachusetts, the only state that bans all consumer fireworks purchases, imports the lowest value of fireworks per capita, at just $0.01, the study said.
Contact Tim Hrenchir at [email protected] or 785-213-5934.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Here's how tariffs may affect your fireworks purchases this year
Source: AOL Money
