Tariffs, Trust and Transparency: How to Communicate Price Increases Without Losing Stakeholder Confidence - FleishmanHillard

Article

August 13, 2025

By Donna Fontana, Matt Rose and Kristie Sigler

As of August 2025, expanded US tariffs are reshaping pricing across industries, from seafood and electronics to Swiss watches and appliances. While many companies have avoided public discussion of tariff-driven price increases, this “run silent” strategy may be unsustainable as cumulative price pressures intensify and customer sensitivity peaks.

For business leaders and their communications teams, the question is no longer whether to communicate price increases but how to do so without damaging trust, inviting backlash or creating political risk.

Why Silence May Not Be Sustainable

Most organizations still approach price communication as if customers, whether in B2B or consumer markets, evaluate each increase in isolation. The reality is shifting. With tariffs now affecting multiple categories at once, customers will face higher costs from many directions simultaneously. Even modest, justified increases risk being seen as price gouging when viewed through the lens of cumulative burden.

For consumer brands, the risks are visible and often viral. For B2B companies, the stakes are just as high. Cost pressures are identical but brand recognition is often weaker and communication channels fewer.

There is also a political dimension. In sensitive categories, tariff-related price communications must consider alignment, or perceived misalignment, with the Administration’s economic narrative. Messaging that appears to contradict official positions on trade, inflation or consumer costs can draw not just customer pushback but also political scrutiny.

The Emotional Reality

Price increases may be driven by economics, but they are received emotionally. Customers, whether households or procurement teams, feel the squeeze of multiple increases across different products and services. That can produce frustration far out of proportion to any one company’s actions.

This is where communication becomes as much about empathy as explanation. Overcommunication carries its own risks but failing to address perceptions leaves a vacuum that competitors, critics or policymakers may fill. Monitoring sentiment, anticipating questions and responding in plain language should be treated as operational priorities.

Strategic Principles for Tariff-Era Price Communication

Not every company will face the same pricing challenges but many will need to refresh their approach. The following principles offer a framework for explaining price increases in a way that preserves relationships and reduces reputational risk.

1. Lead with Transparency, Not Excuses
Replace generic “rising costs” statements with specific context:

“Recent changes in trade policy have significantly increased our sourcing costs. Rather than compromise quality, we have made a modest price adjustment while continuing to invest in the partnerships and processes that protect the quality customers expect.”

2. Make It Personal, Not Political
Customers want empathy, not a policy seminar:

“We know prices are rising everywhere, and we are not immune. We are committed to fairness, transparency, and quality – even as global input costs change.”

3. Show Your Mitigation Efforts
Make it clear that you have considered the interests of all stakeholders, including policymakers, and that raising prices was the last resort:

“We have streamlined logistics and reduced packaging waste to shield customers from rising costs. We are also absorbing a portion of the increase ourselves to minimize the impact. But with input costs climbing sharply, a modest adjustment has become unavoidable.”

4. Ensure Cross-Channel Consistency
Your investor communications will be seen by customers and customer communications will be seen by policymakers. Develop unified messaging for all stakeholder groups, equip teams with consistent language and monitor every touchpoint.

5. Reinforce Brand Values
Tie the increase to commitments to quality, sustainability or integrity. A beauty brand citing tariffs also emphasized its continued investment in cruelty-free, high-quality products. The subtext: we are not cutting corners.

6. Prepare for Emotional Responses Across Markets
Monitor sentiment in real time, assess perception gaps between audiences and benchmark against peers. Be mindful of global market reactions and ensure you have the channels in place for agile, coordinated communication across regions. Respond quickly with empathy, clarity and cultural awareness when resistance rises in any market.

7. Consider Industry Coordination
Trade associations can sometimes lower political and consumer risk by explaining category-wide economics, though each brand must still deliver its own aligned message.

The Bottom Line: From Pass-Through to Reputational Risk

Pass-through pricing has evolved from a supply chain term to a source of reputational risk. While there is no universal blueprint, companies that plan now will have more control over the narrative later.

Tariffs may be beyond corporate control. But the story you tell about your pricing decisions, and the value your products deliver, is entirely yours to shape. Trust is not lost in a single price increase; it is lost when companies fail to explain why. In an environment where nearly everything costs more, transparent reasoning may be the most valuable thing you share for free.