Exact date US supermarkets will be hit with shortages and empty shelves according to expert

 Chaos from President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs is likely to start impacting shelves, and experts have warned Americans, many of whom are currently stockpiling goods, could be coming sooner than you think.

America’s shop floors could soon look a lot emptier with heftier price tags, despite Trump shrugging off the looming recession, on goods for shoppers as supply chain disruptions triggered by the ongoing trade war begin to hit home.

Molson Hart, CEO of a consumer products company, has warned that the economic impact of the US government’s escalating tariff battle will start showing up in stores from May 10, with product shortages and price hikes becoming increasingly noticeable in the weeks to follow.

In a detailed breakdown posted to X, Hart said that the suspension of Chinese trade around April 10 largely due to new tariffs pushed by Donald Trump’s administration is about to create a serious ripple effect across America’s retail and logistics sectors.

“It’s almost like we’re speeding towards a brick wall but the driver of the car doesn’t see it yet,” Hart warned.

The US is currently imposing an average 145% tariff on Chinese goods, with some categories taxed as high as 245%, per a White House fact sheet.

While the tariffs are officially levied on importers, the added cost is typically passed on to U.S. consumers in the form of higher prices.

According to Hart, it takes 30 to 55 days for shipments from China to reach American ports, depending on the destination. With trade effectively halted on April 10, that means key cities will start feeling the sting in mid-May, beginning in Los Angeles, then moving to Houston and Chicago, and finally New York.

“As soon as containers stop arriving, trucking jobs dry up. Warehouses will begin layoffs, and we’ll start seeing some products go out of stock, reducing demand for shipping and handling,” Hart explained.

Even if tariffs were suddenly dropped and trade resumed, Hart said it would take at least another 30 days for economic activity to resume and much longer for normal supply to be restored.

The consequences are already starting to be felt. With new import charges going into effect on April 25, popular online retailers like Shein and Temu have already doubled prices on some products as a result.

Meanwhile, a key loophole that had allowed fast-fashion retailers like Shein and platforms like Amazon to import small packages duty-free has now ended adding to costs and causing delays.

Retailers like Walmart, Target, Home Depot, and Lowe’s have all hinted that price increases are most likely on the way.