Could imported Canadian wine, honey or cheese cost more at your store? A lawsuit filed Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, challenges the Trump administration’s 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian goods, according to CNBC. The source does not report whether any shelf prices have changed. The suit targets the 50% rate that importers pay on the covered goods.
A 96-Year-Old Law Used for the First Time
President Trump used Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in July to impose the 50% tariffs on Canadian hockey sticks, wine, honey, wigs and other products, CNBC reported. He did so in response to alleged trade discrimination by Ottawa. According to CNBC, it was the first time the 96-year-old law had ever been used to impose a tariff. The civil complaint, filed in the US Court of International Trade, argues that Section 338 is a relic of retaliation-based tariff policy that has been impliedly repealed by later legislation.
Tracing the Tariff From the Border to the Checkout
The lawsuit was filed by Gellert Global Group, a New Jersey-based food importer that says its cheeses are covered by the tariffs, CNBC reported. The company is represented by the Liberty Justice Center. It is asking the court to do three things:
declare the Section 338 tariffs unlawful;
block their enforcement;
order refunds of duties already paid, with interest.
The Liberty Justice Center is the same legal group that successfully contested Trump’s separate ‘reciprocal’ tariffs, which the Supreme Court struck down in February, according to CNBC. The administration is now refunding an estimated $166 billion that the federal government collected from importers through those reciprocal duties, CNBC reported.
Our Math: What a 50% Duty Adds to an Import Price
Here is a hypothetical illustration using the tariff rate in the lawsuit. It is not an observed price change.
Cheese: Suppose an importer brings in a Canadian cheese with an import value of $15. The duty is the import value times 50%, so $15 x 0.50 = $7.50. That brings the importer’s cost, before any distributor or store markup, to $15 + $7.50 = $22.50.
Wine: For a Canadian wine with an import value of $20, the same formula gives $20 x 0.50 = $10 in duty, for a pre-markup cost of $30.
The source gives no figure for how much of such a duty reaches shoppers. Whether a store passes all, some or none of it on is a business decision the lawsuit does not address.
What to Check This Week
Check the country of origin on imported wine, honey or cheese you buy. If you buy Canadian products regularly, compare current prices with what you paid before July, when the tariffs were imposed. Watch for a ruling from the US Court of International Trade in this case, which asks the court to block the tariffs and refund duties already paid. Also watch for updates on the $166 billion in refunds tied to the earlier Supreme Court decision. Source: CNBC. Disclaimer: This analysis is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice.
