Speaking at Retail Technology Show, M&S chairman Archie Norman, said the retailer “might have to change their minds” about the future of its famous Percy Pig sweets across The Pond due to sweeping U.S. trade tariffs announced by President Trump on Wednesday.

The retailers’ iconic pig confectionary, which Norman described as M&S’ gift to America, launched exclusively in U.S. Target stores on Sunday 30 March.  But with Trump imposing 10% tariffs across almost all imported goods from the UK, which will come into effect on Saturday 05 April, Percy’s popularity with American consumers may take a hit.  

While M&S isn’t yet intending to withdraw Percy Pigs from the U.S. market, there are fears Percy could be less popular if tariffs make the sweets more expensive and, as Norman joked at #RTS2025, “America will have to pay for their pigs!”

The UK exported nearly £60billion of goods to the U.S. last year, making it a key trade market for British businesses. 

Speaking to the BBC, Adam Sopher, Co-Founder and CEO of luxury popcorn brand, Joe & Seph’s, said that orders were being impacted even before the Trump Tarriffs were confirmed on Wednesday evening.  It said it had experienced fewer sales volumes for Christmas from U.S. retailers, who had held off placing orders. Meanwhile, Waterstones has reportedly become the latest UK retailer to pause shipping to the U.S. following the trade tariff announcement, as other business assess the fallout from rising import costs to their cross-border strategies.