The impact of President Donald Trump’s policies has brought about a noticeable rise in anti-American sentiment across Europe, leading to a shift in consumer attitudes toward American goods. This sentiment has been exacerbated by Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on European goods, seize territories, and withdraw military support in the region, particularly regarding his handling of the conflict in Ukraine. Many European consumers have expressed their dissatisfaction by initiating campaigns to boycott U.S. products.
A YouGov poll, published on March 4, indicates that no European country currently has more than half of its population holding a favorable view of the U.S. Discontent is most pronounced in Denmark, where residents were particularly dismayed by Trump’s intentions to annex Greenland.
Facebook groups promoting the boycott of American goods have gained significant traction, with a Danish group called Boykot varer fra USA gathering over 92,000 members since its establishment on February 3. Bo Albertus, a school principal in Denmark and administrator of this group, expressed his frustration with Trump’s policies and has opted to switch to European streaming services and avoid American fast-food chains.
Similarly, in Sweden, a group named Bojkotta varor från USA has witnessed rapid growth. Jannike Kohinoor, a Swedish teacher and one of its founders, was prompted to action by Trump’s comments on the war in Ukraine, which she described as galvanizing.
According to a survey by Verian, conducted for Swedish national broadcaster SVT, around 70% of Swedes either have or are considering boycotting American products as a political protest. In Denmark, a survey by Megafon for TV 2 suggests that nearly half the population has avoided American products since Trump’s presidency began.
In response to this shift, Denmark’s largest grocery group, Salling Group AS, has started identifying whether products are owned by European companies through electronic price tags. This decision was made in response to a growing consumer preference for products from European brands, according to their CEO, Anders Hagh.
Bloomberg Intelligence’s Charles Allen suggests that while the change in consumer behavior is evident, it may take time before any significant impact on European retail earnings is observed. Nonetheless, some U.S. companies have flagged potential business risks due to rising discontent abroad.
Tesla Inc. has experienced a swift and notable shift in consumer behavior, with its sales dropping 76% in Germany last month amidst CEO Elon Musk’s controversial involvement in European politics. Across Europe, Tesla’s sales fell 45% in January and 40% in February.
Demonstrators in cities like London and Berlin recently participated in a global protest against Tesla, voicing disapproval toward Musk’s actions. Groupe Roy Energie SAS has canceled an order for 15 Tesla vehicles, opting instead for European models despite higher costs. Romain Roy, the company’s CEO, emphasized the necessity for European action in response to these developments.
Additionally, Norwegian company Haltbakk Bunkers AS has decided to stop selling fuel to U.S. forces following a contentious interaction between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Norway’s Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik has issued a statement clarifying that such a boycott does not align with the Norwegian government’s policy.
On a grassroots level, organizers like Kohinoor hope to cultivate a social impact, even if economic outcomes may take longer to materialize.
