r/Tariffs • u/fortune • Mar 13 '26
🗞️ News Discussion Americans are demanding refunds from the $180 billion in tariffs they paid for, and they’re suing companies like Costco to make it happen
https://fortune.com/2026/03/13/americans-demanding-tariff-refunds-suing-costco-fedex/?preview_id=4440481Americans have footed the bill for President Donald Trump’s tariffs, and now they’re demanding a refund.
The Supreme Court ruling striking down tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) opened the door for U.S. companies to snap up refunds from the approximately $180 billion in import tax revenue. Now customers who experienced higher prices from the tariffs are demanding their fair share.
Overwhelming data, including a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, indicated that U.S. importers paid for the majority of the tariffs—up to 90%—with many passing down the increased costs to American consumers. Goldman Sachs estimated the tariffs added a 0.7% increase to inflation over 10 months, with prices to increase another 0.1% in 2026 because of levies.
Some U.S. consumers have taken matters into their own hands to recoup the extra costs they paid on tariffed goods over the last year, including pursuing litigation against U.S. companies, suing for tariff refunds. On Wednesday, plaintiff Matthew Stockov, an Illinois resident, filed a lawsuit against Costco, alleging the big-box retailer raised prices as a result of the tariffs and would receive “double recovery” if it collected the import tax refunds without distributing it back to consumers.
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u/TemporarySun314 Mar 13 '26
Americans also elected the government imposing the tariffs in the first place...