Jack Daniel’s bottles are seemingly being removed due to tariffs
The makers of Jack Daniel’s have issued a response after a video of the much-loved whiskey brand being removed from Canadian shops went viral.
A video circulating online shows Canadian shopkeepers removing liquor from shelves in response to tariffs imposed by Donald Trump and the retaliation from Justin Trudeau, Canada’s outgoing prime minister.
Earlier this week, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) took US-made alcoholic beverages off its shelves, a move that has sparked outrage from Brown-Forman, the maker of Jack Daniel’s. Lawson Whiting, the company’s CEO, expressed his frustration during a financial earnings call: “That’s worse than a tariff—it’s literally taking our sales away, completely removing our products from the shelves.” Whiting criticized Canada’s counter-tariffs as “disproportionate,” though he acknowledged that Canada only accounts for about one percent of their total sales, according to The Guardian.
The removal of Jack Daniel’s from Mexican store shelves presents a bigger challenge for the company, as Mexico contributes to seven percent of their sales for 2024.
Looking ahead, Whiting is bracing for “continued uncertainty and headwinds in the external environment,” signaling that the road to recovery may be far from smooth.
Last month, Trump signed an order imposing new tariffs to “hold China, Mexico, and Canada accountable for their promises to halt the flood of poisonous drugs into the US.” The order introduced an additional 25% tariff on goods imported from Canada and Mexico.
Trump suggested that the only way Canada could avoid the tariff would be to “become the US’s Cherished 51st State,” a proposal that, unsurprisingly, was not met with agreement from Canada. The order cited the “growing production of fentanyl in Canada,” claiming that enough fentanyl was seized at the northern border last fiscal year to kill 9.8 million Americans.
Trudeau, however, has strongly disagreed with Trump’s assertions, stating that “less than one percent of the fentanyl intercepted at the US border comes from Canada” and emphasizing that the country has “worked relentlessly to address this scourge that affects Canadians and Americans alike.”
Despite these efforts, the situation only escalated, with Canada issuing its own counter-tariffs in response to what they deemed an “unjustified decision.” Trudeau made it clear that Canada would not let this move go unanswered, stating that the country was engaged in “active and ongoing discussions with provinces and territories to pursue several non-tariff measures.” He further emphasized, “While we urge the US administration to reconsider their tariffs, Canada remains firm in standing up for our economy, our jobs, our workers, and for a fair deal.”
