LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — It's the price hike you didn't order, but it's about to be served up anyway.
New tariffs are set to take effect March 4, and that could mean even higher costs for consumers at the checkout line.
"I do want to be able to afford my food," said shopper Laverne Sanford.
Mario Berlanga, owner of Mario's Westside Market, said everything, from fresh seafood to your favorite fruits and veggies and even items you wouldn't expect, could go up in price.
"All this stuff, just everyday commodities," he said.
So what's the deal with these tariffs? Well, it all comes down to a trade dispute.
The U.S. is imposing new taxes on certain imported goods from Mexico, Canada and China, meaning businesses have to pay more to bring them in.
"Chains can absorb a little bit of that price increase," Berlanga said. "The little guy is the one that it's really hurting."
Some of the items that are most likely to be affected include cars, fuel, computers, clothing, tequila, whiskey and avocados.
And when stores pay more, so do we.
Sanford has already been keeping tabs on the prices she's paying for everyday necessities.
"Seafood is already high enough," she said. "Vegetables, all that's high enough."
Translation: if it's on a truck, in a box, or even remotely fresh, it could cost more, and in a city where the cost of living is already high, that's not great news for shoppers.
"That's a lot for your family that's already struggling because prices are crazy," Berlanga said.
The question now is how much more can people take before they change the way they shop.
