American toy manufacturer Mattel, known for its Barbie dolls, has announced an increase in prices for its products in the United States due to new duties on imports from China. The company announced this in its financial report for the first quarter. The tariffs have not affected its profits since the beginning of the year, but they may cause losses in the future.
To avoid them, Mattel plans to move some of its production from China to other countries and raise prices for some toys in the United States.
According to the Toy Association, cited by CNN, almost 80% of all toys sold in the United States are made in China.
Mattel CFO Anthony di Silvestro said the tariffs will cost the company about $270 million this year.
According to an analysis by Telsey Advisory Group, the price of a Barbie doll in a swimsuit at Target stores increased by 42.9% in a week in mid-April to $14.99.
The company’s CEO, Inon Kreis, said that despite the new duties, 40-50% of Mattel toys will continue to cost no more than $20. At the same time, he called for the complete abolition of duties on toys worldwide.
Mattel currently produces toys in seven countries. In 2025, the company plans to reduce its share of production in China to less than 40% (the industry average is about 80%), and in 2026, it plans to reduce imports to the United States from China to less than 15%.
Like many other companies, Mattel has temporarily abandoned its forecast for the entire year 2025 due to market volatility.