Labeling Tariffs Isn’t Political. Hiding Them Could Be.

America’s increasingly chaotic tariff policies have hit its businesses hard. In an effort to explain the resulting unpredictable pricing to customers, some businesses have placed lines on their invoices disclosing tariff-related fees, a move that the White House described as akin to treasonous, calling it “hostile and political.”

But which is more political — giving reasons for rising prices or obscuring those reasons? Even in a moment as fraught as this, being transparent with customers isn’t about politics. It isn’t even about ethics. It’s simply good business.

Cost Rules Everything Around Me

The White House’s framing is out of step with what Americans want. According to recent data, 37 percent of Americans, more than any other responding group, believe companies should be transparent about the impact of tariffs on the prices the end customer sees — and that’s irrespective of political affiliation. In a climate of extreme political polarization where a single-digit margin of agreement across party lines can feel like a miracle, transparency is the one place where people actually agree.

The same survey showed that when it comes to deciding whether to purchase from a company caught in the crosshairs of trade wars, the majority of respondents — again across political affiliation — said cost was ultimately the most important factor. Not values. Not politics. Cost.

If cost matters most, then explaining rising costs is simply giving people the information they care about. In other words, when price is the primary driver of consumer behavior, transparency isn’t a political stance. It’s an answer to the only question consumers are asking: Why did this become more expensive?

If your prices shift and your communication doesn’t, you risk looking evasive or, worse, deceitful. Labeling tariffs plainly is acknowledging reality. Being candid with customers is a way to treat them as not just sources of revenue, but as long-term stakeholders or partners in your business. It’s an expression of respect.

Transparency is Good Business

It’s also a savvy business strategy. Good business is built on customer loyalty, and customer loyalty is built on trust. Trust is earned in moments of friction, when companies stay true to their values and communicate honestly, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Take Everlane, the fashion brand that made radical transparency its brand cornerstone. By disclosing markup percentages, Everlane built a groundbreaking marketing strategy and a base of devoted customers. Similarly, a cost transparency trial at a Dutch grocery chain was hailed as “fantastic” by customers. In fact, there’s even research that suggests cost transparency can increase sales. These aren’t political gestures. They’re commercial strategies. And they work.

What’s more, candor with customers can preempt backlash, strengthen relationships, and build resilience in uncertain economic times. When customers feel like businesses are telling the full story, they’re more likely to trust those businesses. Trust breeds loyalty, but it’s also a long-term buffer against issues businesses cannot control. For small businesses especially, whom Americans tend to trust more than large conglomerates, building trust can mean survival.

These businesses aren’t being hostile, they’re being human. They’re saying, “We know this isn’t ideal and you deserve to know why it’s happening.” That kind of openness pays off in the long run.

The Real Irony

Of course, there's an irony to this entire conversation. The sweeping tariffs that American businesses have faced have already been ruled unconstitutional in federal court. So while companies labelling the tariffs weren’t deliberately signaling politics, they were behaving in line with the nation’s laws and values. It’s ironic that the government finds this threatening.

Transparency isn’t partisan or political, and it certainly isn’t hostile. It’s practical. It doesn't tell people what to think, it gives them the information and the tools to let them think for themselves.

Shahar Silbershatz is the CEO and co-founder of Caliber, a stakeholder intelligence firm based in Copenhagen.