Citing issues involving child safety, the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Assn. has asked that child car seats and cribs be exempted from the list of products subject to pending Section 301 tariffs on Chinese-made products.

www.jpma.org

On its website, the association said it expects that the tariffs will cause higher prices on such goods and make them inaccessible to many consumers, thereby potentially posing safety risks for children.

“Baby products have historically been subject to low tariffs globally, simply because they are essential for parenting and can save lives,” said Kelly Mariotti, executive director of the JPMA, who testified at a hearing on the tariffs in Washington on Thursday. “If this changes, we could see prices increase dramatically on car seats, which are required by law for every single baby and toddler in America, plus other child care items such as cribs, hygiene products, feeding products, safe sleep products and strollers. This could mean parents and caregivers can no longer afford these essential devices, putting babies and children at risk.”

If the 25% tariff is enacted, JPMA said, it expects the costs would be passed on directly to consumers, which could price many consumers out of the market and jeopardize child safety.

The JPMA added that juvenile products also have complex supply chains that can take years to re-establish in other countries.

In addition, the association noted that according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), car seats and boosters provide the best protection for infants and children in automobile crashes, which are the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13.

It also noted that according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), “the safest place for a child on an airplane is in a government-approved child safety restraint system, not on a parent’s lap. This is why the FAA strongly urges parents and caregivers to secure children in a car seat for the duration of a flight.”

“Imposing tariffs on baby products is intended to discourage import of the products, as well as the parts and materials used to make them,” the JPMA said. “However, a comparable U.S. manufacturing base for many baby products does not currently exist. It would take years for baby product manufacturers to establish trusted partners who could source safe and affordable parts and materials, leaving our most vulnerable population at risk in the meantime.”

“Every single baby and child in America deserves to have access to products that keep them safe,” Mariotti added. “We have a responsibility to make sure every parent can afford these products.”

（Source: FurnitureToday）