""We decided the leadership was so unpredictable, anything could happen," he said, adding that tariff volatility made long-term commitments difficult. "If the tariff goes up to 25 per cent and we become uncompetitive, the whole store proposition is at risk," he said. "I'm not going to sign a five-year lease in this environment." His comments follow a US Supreme Court ruling that many of the tariffs introduced since 2024 were unlawful. However, the administration subsequently confirmed a temporary 10 per cent global tariff, later raised to 15 per cent, adding to market uncertainty."
""China, by contrast, offers greater stability from Brompton's perspective. The company has operated in the country for 17 years and now runs three owned stores alongside 14 franchise outlets. It also distributes through third-party retailers. "It's our largest market and we know where we stand," Butler-Adams said, suggesting that warmer diplomatic ties between the UK and China could further enhance demand for British brands.""
Brompton scaled back US expansion and accelerated investment in China because of uncertainty over US trade policy and tariff volatility. The company closed branded stores in New York and Washington when leases expired, while opening a new outlet in Shenzhen and doubling the flagship Shanghai store after refurbishment. The firm warned that potential tariff increases could make stores uncompetitive and hinder long-term lease commitments. Brompton operates a west London factory producing tens of thousands of bikes annually and is the UK's largest bike manufacturer. The company will continue cautious, flexible investment in the US while treating China as its largest, more stable market with extensive retail presence.
Read at Business Matters
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