The Bill Just Got Heavier: eBottles’ Tariff Pass-Throughs Hit Mid-September
The recent tariff notice from eBottles isn’t an isolated story—it’s just the latest reminder that packaging costs are climbing everywhere, no matter who you’re buying from. Beginning September 15, 2025, eBottles will tack on new pass-through tariffs: 13% on items from Taiwan, Malaysia, and Vietnam, and 17% on India, on top of existing surcharges for Chinese goods and a global baseline duty.
This hits operators where it hurts. Take a simple 10,000-unit order of PET jars out of Taiwan. At $0.40 each, that’s a $4,000 order. With the new pass-throughs, you’re suddenly paying closer to $4,760—a 19% jump in unit cost without any change in the product itself. Multiply that across every SKU on your shelves, and the margins you thought you had evaporate.
Why Are Material Costs So High?
The short answer: global supply chains are still a mess.
Inflated freight costs from pandemic-era bottlenecks never fully reset.
Tariffs as trade leverage keep piling up, especially on Asian imports.
Raw material volatility (resins, aluminum, glass) means manufacturers pass their risk downstream—onto you.
Scale dependence: industries like packaging consolidated in China because they could churn out volume at prices the U.S. couldn’t touch. Once that dependency set in, alternatives shrank.
In short, we built a cheap, convenient system—and now we’re paying the bill.
Why the U.S. is Dependent on China for Packaging
Over decades, China became the default global packaging factory by offering:
Massive scale and specialization: entire provinces dedicated to plastics, glass, and aluminum.
Government subsidies that kept costs artificially low.
Western outsourcing: brands wanted cheaper margins and abandoned U.S. manufacturing.
Today, moving away from China isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. Building stateside capacity takes billions in investment, and raw materials themselves are still globally traded commodities subject to volatility.
The Stateside Alternative
Just because tariff’s are putting more pressure on operators doesnt mean there isnt savings to be had. Some providers are rethinking the model. Vertical Supply Co., for example, offers U.S.-based storage and shipping, meaning you can bulk-buy when costs are lowest and draw down stock as needed. In fact, they were able to help one company save over 35% (~$60k) in cost. That doesn’t erase tariffs, but it does cut the double hit of freight delays and excess storage costs. For license holders juggling compliance, fluctuating demand, and thin margins, that flexibility can be the difference between red ink and survival.
Original Message
Important Tariff Update - Effective September 15, 2025
To Our Valued Customers,
We understand how challenging it can be to keep up with ongoing tariff changes and we share your frustration. While these shifts are outside of our control, our goal is to provide clear and timely updates so you can plan with confidence.
Starting August 7, 2025, shipments from Taiwan, Malaysia, and Vietnam have been subject to a 20% tariff, and shipments from India have been subject to a 25% tariff.
Effective September 15, 2025, eBottles will begin charging:
13% on items from Taiwan, Malaysia, and Vietnam
17% on items from India
As a reminder, global and Chinese tariffs remain as follows:
55% on glass and plastic and 95% on aluminum and steel from China. eBottles is passing a 35% tariff on glass and plastic products from China and 65% on aluminum and steel.
A baseline 10% tariff was instituted on all shipments to the U.S. (excluding Canada and Mexico). eBottles is passing along 6%.
We remain committed to transparency and will continue to update our website article keeping tracking of these changes here.
If you have any questions about how these changes may affect your upcoming orders, please contact your sales manager or our customer service team.
Thank you for your understanding and continued partnership.
Your eBottles Team
contactus@ebottles.com
561-203-2779
eBottles.com
