People React To Woman Showing Just How Much Tariffs Are Affecting US Goods In China

Unfortunately, “tariffs” has become a word we’re really all too overexposed to now in 2025. For better or worse, this has revealed that way too many people have no idea what they are, how they work and who is paying in the end. So it can be helpful to see just what the situation on the ground is on the other end of whatever tariffs have been put up recently.

A content creator ended up going viral after she showcased just how Chinese grocery stores have been affected by tariffs. Spoiler alert, mostly they’ve just replaced US beef with Australian. We reached out to her via email and will update the article when she gets back to us.
More info: TikTok

For all the constant talk of tariffs, most Americans probably have no idea how it affects China

Young woman in a Chinese store holding packaged meat, highlighting viral trend of dropping US products in China.

Image credits: emily.socialsss

So a content creator shared a look at a Chinese grocery store

Woman goes viral showcasing Chinese stores dropping US products amid American tariffs affecting customers.

Text showing a woman explaining Chinese stores dropping US products by switching from American beef to Australian beef.

Alt text: Woman going viral for showcasing Chinese stores dropping US products and stopping American beef imports.

Text image highlighting China’s reduced dependence on US products amid American tariffs and trade shifts.

Woman shopping in a Chinese store, holding a basket, with shelves displaying fruits and products dropping US brands.

Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Text excerpt from a viral post in China discussing stores dropping US products like American beef and switching to alternatives.

Woman showcasing Chinese stores dropping US products, discussing better beef prices and quality in China.

Image credits: emily.socialsss

Image credits: Shaiith / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Many people see Australian beef as an improvement

Bored Panda got in touch with Emily who made the video and she was kind enough to share some more details with us. The video from the grocery store did end up going viral and had thousands of comments, so we wanted to hear her thoughts on what made it so engaging. “I think my video went viral because it resonated with both Americans and Australians. Americans in the comments said “Aussie beef is better than American beef”, “I’d never trust American beef myself” and Australians said “Australian beef is grass-fed and much better than American beef”. I also noticed people from other countries like the UK and Canada said they are doing the same thing – ditching American beef because of its quality. People from around the world agreed on two things – “Trump’s tariffs are only hurting the USA” and “Australian beef is better”.

Ever since tariffs became a campaign point in 2024, it’s become abundantly clear that many Americans just don’t quite understand how they function and what they will mean for the consumer. So it’s pretty easy to see why they might be even less aware how tariffs will and won’t affect China. “There is a saying in China that goes like “you can never wake up anyone that’s pretending to sleep”. People always believe in what they want to believe even if the brutal truth is right in front of them. Because if they admit that tariffs are not hurting China but only hurting the USA, they are admitting that they voted for the wrong president and chose all these themselves. And that’s the sad reality for a lot of Americans,” she shared. Slowly, many Americans are becoming aware of what tariffs are about to do, as people have started sharing receipts of tariff-affected prices online.

Image credits: EyeEm / Freepik (not the actual photo)

China has already found alternative to US food products

On a practical level, we were curious to hear if there are any other non-US alternatives she’s started to purchase as Chinese stores move away from US goods. “That’s a great question. I’m actually thinking of making another video about how US products vanished in Chinese supermarkets and were replaced with alternatives from other countries. But for now, I will say beef is definitely the most recognizable shift.”

“I definitely wanted to add the timeline of American and Australian beef in Chinese supermarkets as I was doing research for my video before. Starting from February, I paid close attention to American beef and I noticed a huge shrink in American beef compared to 2 years ago. Products like Australian beef are everywhere. When you search for “imported beef” online, most likely it will be Australian beef (used to be American beef). And now when I was filming that video this May, I did a thorough search in the supermarket and I confirmed there is nothing from the US in my local supermarket.” If you are interested in seeing more of her research into this topic, be sure to check out her TikTok account or follow her social media.

It is worth noting that US beef exports to China is a drop in the water in the grand scheme of things, it still represents $125 million a month, most of which will end as tariffs drive the price up. It’s not just beef. Pork exports are expected to fall apart as Chinese restaurants and suppliers switch to Canadian alternatives. The trend is clear, China can substitute many American goods while the haphazard blanket tariffs put up by the Trump administration risk severely limiting export opportunities to US businesses. Even worse, some smaller US companies are struggling to even find a workable business model as their overseas suppliers are forced to raise costs.

Some viewers were very surprised by what she showed them

Comments discussing price differences between Australian and Chinese products amid Chinese stores dropping US products.

Comment from user Bettina about preferring Australian meat over US products, related to Chinese stores dropping US products.

Comment on social media about buying fewer American products in Denmark, related to Chinese stores dropping US products.

Comment stating American consumer products banned in the European Union for not meeting food safety standards.

Screenshot of a social media comment claiming Australian beef is superior to US beef with 289 likes shown.

Comment on viral post about China dropping US products, mentioning healthier beef without growth hormones.

Comment by user Paula with Canadian flag, discussing US food regulations compared to Australian standards in a social media reply.

Comment from user LS1m8 saying they will enjoy Australian beef more with 1,508 likes on a social media post.

Comment on social media discussing USA sanctions with emoji, related to Chinese stores dropping US products topic.

Screenshot of a social media comment expressing strong support for US products amid Chinese stores dropping US goods.

Comment about Trump's tariffs leading to healthier food worldwide, related to Chinese stores dropping US products.

Social media comment discussing Australian beef being organic compared to US products amid China dropping US goods.

Comment from Russ with UK flag discussing China dropping US products and impact on American farmers with laughing emojis.

Comment stating USA meat is not allowed in the Netherlands, related to Chinese stores dropping US products discussion.

Comment from user kiwiflyer discussing American beef compared to New Zealand and Australian grass-fed beef.

Social media comment from a user expressing support for Australian beef farmers amid China dropping US products.

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