On February 20, 2026, in a victory for American beer, wine, and spirits importers, the Supreme Court in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, 607 US ____, Slip Op., February 20, 2026 (“Learning Resources”) struck down President Trump’s imposition of tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”). The Trump administration had used IEEPA to justify certain tariffs imposed on imported goods from various countries in 2025, including beer, wine and spirits. Despite the decision in the importers’ favor, no one is popping the Champagne quite yet. First, while the Court’s opinion invalidated the Trump administration’s IEEPA tariffs, it has no effect on the administrations’ ability to rely on other statutes to impose tariffs. Second, on the same day that the Supreme Court issued its decision, the President issued a proclamation imposing a 10% worldwide tariff under a different federal law (discussed in more detail belo

Alcohol beverage importers may finally get their answer from the United States Supreme Court this week on the validity of the Trump Administration’s tariffs issued pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).[1] Recent news reports suggest that the Court’s answer may come as early as this Friday, when the Court is scheduled to issue opinions on pending cases. Based on the questions posed by both liberal and conservative justices during oral argument, many commentators expect the Court to conclude that the president exceeded his authority by invoking IEEPA to issue those tariffs.   There are, however, a lot of open questions beyond just the validity of the tariffs. Most importantly, if the Court finds the tariffs are invalid, will importers that have already paid the tariffs be entitled to refunds and what will the process be for getting those refunds. Questions also remain as to whether the case will be remanded to a lower court to determine the

The calendar flip from 2024 to 2025 heralded several new packaging regulations, rulemaking updates, and bills with significant implications for consumer packaged goods in North America and Europe. Recent packaging legislation is reshaping packaging requirements for waste reduction, recyclable materials, circularity, and sustainability. However, actions by the Trump Administration may defer regulatory action at the U.S. federal level and shift packaging-related policies. EPR Packaging Laws Five U.S. states—California, Colorado, Oregon, Maine, and Minnesota—have passed extended producer responsibility laws for packaging. While each state's requirements vary, they share common goals of reducing packaging waste, enhancing recycling efforts, and holding producers (e.g., brand owners) accountable for the life cycle of their products. Since the start of the year, nine states have introduced or re-introduced EPR packaging bills. They include Washington, Tennessee, Hawaii

August 19, 2024 — To combat the costly and persistent issue of returned shipments in the direct-to-consumer (DtC) wine shipping industry, RedChirp and Sovos ShipCompliant are proud to announce an innovative integration that enables wineries to automatically text customers notifications that their shipments are on the way. This will significantly reduce returns and boost customer satisfaction. With the high cost and strict adult signature requirements for shipping wine, spirits, and beer directly to consumers, timely and effective communication is essential. Unlike emails, which are often overlooked, text messages are more likely to be immediately noticed, making them a valuable tool for keeping customers informed and engaged. Through the Sovos ShipCompliant integration, wineries can automatically trigger text message notifications as soon as a tracking number appears in ShipCompliant. These messages can include tracking links, allowing customers to easily monitor their sh

Today's #winebiz news for #wineindustry professionals...  $1.2 Million Spent on Controversial Wine Subsidy Program from January to March After months of silence, the Nova Scotia government finally revealed the total figure spent on a wine subsidy program that caused many of the province’s winemakers to feel sour…

Last night while I was sleeping, my heart beat 38,400 times. I didn’t ask it to keep beating through my slumber, nor did I thank it when I awoke. I just took my heartbeat, and my life, for granted. Shame on me. We do the same with wine. Sure, we enjoy the aroma, bouquet and taste. But we rarely reflect that this magical elixir is a natural farm product…a land preserver…a reflection of place and time…an artistic statement…a liquid food…a Biblical focus…a poetic inspiration…a cultural phenomenon…an economic engine…a noble beverage with humble roots which brings people together around the world. Wine is magic. So why don’t we tell people? Natural magic It’s easy to fret about the future of wine. Boomers are aging, younger generations are opting out, spirits are innovating and there are increasing warnings about the dangers of alcohol.  It’s deja vu all over again. We’ve been here before, and

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has authorized the European Union (EU) to implement tariffs on $4 billion worth of US made goods annually in retaliation for government aid to Boeing Co. deemed illegal by the WTO. The decision is one-third of the EU’s request for a $12 billion award and lower than the $7.5 billion retaliation judgment the WTO granted the U.S. last year in a parallel dispute against Boeing’s European rival, Airbus SE. Among the $4 billion in goods is all US wine exported to the EU. WineAmerica is opposed to the implementation of tariffs on wines. We are part of a larger beverage alcohol coalition working to mitigate the implementation of tariffs. We will have more information on this in the coming weeks.