Angered and Frustrated at Trump Policies, They Hope Boycotts Convey a Message
American brands have been boycotted before by Americans, but not by entire countries. Angered by President Trump’s trade policies, a growing number of consumers in Europe and Canada are substituting non-American brands for their favorite American snacks, soups, bourbons, wines, laptops, detergents, dog foods and smartphone apps.
It’s too early to tell how much damage the boycott with wreak on U.S. producers.
A Swedish Facebook group has formed to offer tips on the best non-American alternatives. There are serious online discussions about what products are and aren’t American. Is Coca-Cola processed in Europe still an American product? Now that Ben & Jerry’s has been purchased by Unilever, a British conglomerate, is it still American enough to boycott?
A French farmer launched Boycott USA and picked up more than 20,000 followers in two weeks who agreed to purchase French and European products instead of American products. He told the Associated Press the boycott is a good way to oppose Trump’s “commercial and ideological war” against Europe.
Danes and Canadians Really Serious
Meanwhile, Danes and Canadians, which have been persistent Trump political targets, are especially zealous in replacing U.S. products on their shopping lists. A Danish Facebook group now has 90,000 members and growing. A government worker in Copenhagen says she has stopped buying Oreo cookies, Heinz ketchup and Estée Lauder night serum, She admits it may not make an economic dent, but it’s the message that matters.
“I’m not even a drop in the ocean,” she said. “But that’s my little way to protest.” She also emphasized the protest is against Trump and his policies, not the American people. “We want our friends back.”
After checking labels, some Canadian shoppers return U.S.-made products to shelves upside down as a sign of protest. A Nova Scotia shopper wrote, “I’ve been buying Canadian and non-USA goods/services since Trump placed his tariffs on Canada. I have the app and use it on all my purchases. It is very satisfying to see how fast Canadians and their businesses can pivot! Mexican and South American goods are AMAZING. I also just purchased lemon bread from Ireland, oranges from Spain.”
Canada’s largest grocery store has put up signage noting American products that have been made more expensive because of tariffs. A leading Canadian retailer predicts U.S. products will continue to plummet as it adds more goods from Europe.
Sailing Group, Denmark’s largest supermarket, now denotes European products with stars as part of an organized boycott. Salling Group CEO Anders Hagh wrote in a LinkedIn post, “Our stores will continue to have brands on the shelves from all over the world, and it will always be up to customers to choose. The new label is only an additional service for customers who want to buy goods with European labels.”
Boycotts aren’t limited to products in stores. Airbnb, Google and Microsoft have been targeted. Canadians are boycotting travel to the United States, too.
As best as anyone can tell, this kind of grassroots boycott of U.S. products is unprecedented and is only occurring now because of Trump. It seems unlikely the boycott will change Trump’s outlook, but it does signal a level of discontent and even anger by Europeans and Canadians that may have a psychological impact on American citizens.
Americans Traveling Abroad
Americans traveling abroad have not been exempt from European distress over Trump’s tariffs. When their American citizenship is identified, some travelers have been asked blunt questions about Trump and his policies. The usual tenor is why has America deserted its friends?
Expats haven’t been spared the awkward, sometimes angry questions by their European neighbors, colleagues and friends.
Anthony Mucia, 31, a Nebraska native who lives in Toulouse, France and has been overseas for six years, told the Associated Press: “Twice, the first thing someone asked me was, ‘Are you glad to be in France now?’” Mucia interprets the comments as “a bit of ‘shock’ or ‘uneasiness.’ Almost like it automatically turned into an embarrassing topic.”
Elizabeth Van Horne, 33, who has lived in France since 2013, says people used to ask, “Why on Earth would you come to live in France if I could live in the U.S: ‘It’s so beautiful, there’s so much potential, so much opportunity, like living in a TV show.’” “Now, that romanticized image has completely changed,” Van Horne says.
AP reported, “The interactions are less hostile than wary, Americans overseas say. But anti-U.S. sentiment is emerging as a concern on the cusp of what’s expected to be a record-setting international travel season for Americans.”
Trump Supporters Abroad
The situation overseas can be testier for Trump supporters.
An AP story focused on Georganne Burke, a Syracuse, N.Y., native now living in Ottawa and a three-time Trump voter who chairs Republicans Overseas in Canada, claims she has received personal threats. Burke says, “Trump’s tariff war, his manner and his provocative talk about how Canada ‘only works’ as the 51st U.S. state has everybody’s hair on fire.”
AP also covered Greg Swenson of Republicans Overseas UK, who is more upbeat, noting walking around as an American in another country remains more positive than negative. In interviews with media outlets, he readily acknowledges Trump can be “obnoxious.” But Swenson, 62, an investment banker, says Trump and America “remain good for business.”
“In the private capital world, which is not affected by day-to-day (market) volatility, there is just a huge amount of optimism,” Swenson said. That means, he says, that investors want to work with U.S. vendors and customers, seeking American “credibility” through “an affiliation with the president.”
And then there is the Reddit exchange between an American father worried how his family would be treated on their visit to Ireland and an Irish father. “A lot of people like me are really, really alienated and angry at the U.S. and Americans,” the Irish dad replied. “But the good news is we’re Irish so you’ll never know because we bury our feelings in a far-off place and let them fester over decades.” He added a smile emoji.
