Scandinavian countries and Canada are leading a growing international trend of shunning American products due to US President Donald Trump's decision to impose tariffs on a range of products from around the world.
In recent weeks, numerous groups calling for boycotts have been set up on Facebook. A Swedish group called Bojkotta varor från USA (Boycott goods from the USA) had almost 80.000 members at the time of writing.
The group believes that it is protecting "democracy, self-determination, and security" and hopes to put pressure on the Trump administration through the boycott. They justify using American Facebook as a platform by saying that it is the "best weapon" for their purpose.
Similar groups have also appeared in Canada, while a French group BOYCOTT USA: Achetez Francais et Europeen! (Boycott USA: Buy French and European!) has over 20.000 members.
Tesla sees sales drop due to Musk
There is little data yet on whether such campaigns are having any concrete impact. However, one American product that has a direct connection to the Trump administration is Tesla. The electric car brand is led by Elon Musk, who is currently a senior advisor to the US president and heads the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) shows that Tesla car sales in Europe fell by a whopping 45 percent in January compared to the same period in 2024. Over the entire past year, Tesla saw sales decline by 13 percent across the European Union.
Shop Canadian
Anti-American sentiment is particularly strong in Canada. Trump has imposed 25 percent tariffs on Canadian products, despite a long-standing alliance and a nearly 9.000-kilometer-long shared border between the two countries.
Trump has repeatedly stated that Canada should become the 51st US state, and has publicly and deliberately referred to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as "Governor Trudeau," which has caused outrage among Canadians.
Such provocations have led to a serious public backlash. The growing anti-Trump sentiment has helped the Liberal Party of Canada, once led by Trudeau and now by Mark Carney (the future prime minister), achieve a remarkable turnaround in the polls. At the start of 2025, the Liberals trailed the Conservative Party by as much as 25 percentage points, but they now lead in many opinion polls.
That sentiment is increasingly being reflected in consumers. Dylan Lobo, who runs Made in CA, an online catalog of Canadian products, told Business Insider that his site has seen a huge increase in visits.
"There's a huge wave of patriotism sweeping across Canada right now," Lobo says. "Canadians want to support their fellow Canadians."
Many Canadian companies have also launched Buy Canadian campaigns. In Ontario, the provincial Liquor Control Board announced that it would no longer sell American products such as bourbon and wine. The province of New Brunswick has announced similar measures.
Ontario Governor Doug Ford has canceled a contract worth 63,3 million Canadian dollars (XNUMX million euros) with Starlink, Elon Musk's telecommunications company. "Ontario will not do business with people who are determined to destroy our economy," Ford said on the social network X (owned by Musk).
European resistance
In Europe, some companies are also taking action against American products. Denmark's largest retailer, Saling Group, announced that it will mark European products in its stores with a black star to make them easier for customers to recognize.
Some companies are going a step further. Norwegian ship fuel supplier Haltbak has announced that it will no longer sell fuel to the US Navy.
Outside of Europe and Canada, many business leaders are becoming aware of the potential consequences of such boycotts on American products.
Takeshi Ninami, CEO of Japanese giant Santori Holdings, which owns brands such as Jim Beam, warned that American brands could become a target for consumers around the world.
“We prepared the strategic and budget plan for 2025 based on the assumption that American products, including American whiskey, may be less accepted in countries outside the US – firstly because of tariffs, and secondly because of emotions,” Ninami told the Financial Times.
This suggests that boycotts and consumer behavior could negatively impact sales for American companies in Canada, Europe, and other regions. The coming months will bring more precise data on this trend, and it will be closely watched on both sides of the Atlantic.
A spokesperson for the European Consumers' Organisation (BEUC), which represents consumer interests across Europe, said they do not yet have an official position on the boycott and are currently focused on "analysing the impact of tariffs on consumers."
In a statement to Deutsche Welle, BEUC also stated that it is working with American consumer organizations to ensure that "transatlantic cooperation remains in the interest of consumers."
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