Scandinavians call for boycott of US products

Barcelona"I love bourbon, but is there an alternative that isn't American?"; "I'm going to buy a new electric toothbrush. Oral B seems to be from the US. What are you calling me, Philips? Or do you have any advice on Swedish or European toothbrushes?"; "Is there any dishwashing liquid that isn't from the US?" These are some of the latest messages on a Facebook page by Swedish users calling for a boycott of US products in protest of the White House's policy shift since Donald Trump's return to power.

The page has around 81,000 followers. In Denmark, where this movement has also gained momentum, the Facebook page has almost 90,000 followers. It's a movement that advocates for consumers to be more conscious of the products they buy on a daily basis and, instead of opting for the large number of American brands, to benefit from local ones. "The group was born out of frustration because we feel the world has become a significantly more uncertain and unpredictable place since January 20, 2025," reads the description of the Swedish page. It adds that the goal is "to change the policy of the US administration" of Trump and "safeguard democracy, self-determination, and security."

Some users urge people to stop buying any US brands; others choose to forgive those produced in Europe. "We are receiving many posts about Unilever and many people want to boycott it. But we can rest assured: Unilever products are produced in the EU. Summer is saved for many Ben & Jerry's fans," says one user. On this page, however, there is bad news for Swedes: "The most Swedish of all, Marabou, unfortunately is American; it is owned by Mondelez International of Chicago." Marabou brand chocolates, with their striking yellow wrapping, are in every supermarket in the country.

In Denmark, there is debate about boycotting Coca-Cola because it is produced for the Danish market at Carlsberg facilities. But Sydbank consumer economist Ann Lehmann Erichsen argues on TV2 that consumers are not obliged to understand the structures of international companies: "Political consumers boycott to raise their voices and only consider the fact that the brand is American, even though this may affect jobs."

Difficulty with finance and technology

But what real reach does this movement have? Around 20% of Swedes already boycott American products, and a large majority say they are considering it, according to a Lund University study published this week. It was conducted by researchers at the School of Economics and Business Administration in conjunction with the survey firm Norstat Sweden. The study shows that consumers find it easy to find alternatives to beverages, fast food, sweets, and hygiene products, while in other areas, switching from American brands is more difficult.

"Habits are hard to break, and some markets are dominated by American players. For example, 75% of Swedes use Visa or Mastercard, but only 15% see realistic alternatives," says Professor Johan Anselmsson, who led the research. He points out that the same is true for technology companies like Google and Apple. A clear example is the fact that the platform being used to call for the boycott is Facebook, which is American-owned.

According to the expert, this movement could represent an opportunity for European companies to win over consumers by highlighting their origins, although he noted that they need to act quickly. "Making the country of origin visible and offering clear European alternatives could be crucial for this trend to persist and gain traction," he says.

A label for European products

In Denmark, the business group that owns the country's largest supermarkets, Salling, has launched a similar initiative: it has marked European brand products with a star. "It's an information service for customers if they want to act this way. We will in no way boycott American products or mark them. Let's let the customer decide whether they want to act accordingly or not," argued Salling CEO Anders Hagh in the newspaper. They warn.

"I think it's a good initiative. The US hasn't been very nice to us lately, so if we can punish them a little, I think it's good," Niels Hansen, a supermarket customer in Aarhus, summed up on TV2. It's a widespread sentiment among Danes, especially among those Trump's insistence on annexing Greenland.

According to a survey published by this same broadcaster, half of Danes have deliberately refrained from buying American products since Donald Trump was inaugurated president. Furthermore, 80% are now "less" or "much less" interested in traveling to the United States, and 81% say they have a more negative view of Tesla.

However, some experts agree that the consequences of such actions are generally short-lived and have a very limited impact. "Experience shows that it is very difficult to achieve large economic effects with consumer boycotts," Olaf Johansson, professor of economics at the University of Gothenburg, told AFP.