Ivan Hansen, a retired Danish police officer, loaded up his basket at the supermarket, carefully checking each product to avoid buying anything made in the United States. No more Coca-Cola, no more California Zinfandel wine or almonds.
The 67-year-old said it’s the only way he knows to protest U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies. He’s furious about Trump’s threat to seize the Danish territory of Greenland, but it’s not just that. There are also the threats to take control of the Panama Canal and Gaza. And Trump’s relationship with Elon Musk, who has far-right ties and made what many interpreted as a straight-armed Nazi salute.
On his recent shopping trip, Hansen returned home with dates from Iran. It shocked him to realize that he now perceives the United States as a greater threat than Iran.
“Trump really looks like a bully who tries in every way to intimidate, threaten others to get his way,” he told The Associated Press. “I will fight against that kind of thing.”
A growing boycott movement across Europe
Hansen is just one supporter of a growing movement across Europe and Canada to boycott U.S. products. People are joining Facebook groups where they exchange ideas about how to avoid U.S. products and find alternatives. Feelings are especially strong across the Nordic region — and very possibly strongest in Denmark given Trump’s threats to seize Greenland.
Google trends showed a spike in searches for the term “Boycott USA,” and “Boycott America,” as Trump announced new tariffs, with the top regions including Denmark, Canada and France. At the same time, a global backslash is also building against Tesla as the brand becomes tied to Trump, with plunging sales in Europe and Canada. In Germany, police were investigating after four Teslas were set on fire Friday.
Elsebeth Pedersen, who lives in Faaborg on the Danish island of Funen, just bought a car and made a point of not even looking at U.S.-made options.
“Before Elon Musk started to act like a maniac a Tesla could have been an option. And maybe a Ford,” she said.
French entrepreneur Romain Roy said his solar panel firm has bought a new Tesla fleet each year since 2021 but canceled its order for another 15 to take a stand against Musk’s and Trump’s policies.
Describing the United States as “a country closing in on itself,” he cited Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and Musk’s arm gestures. He said he was instead buying European models, even though it would cost an additional 150,000 euros ($164,000).
“Individual consumers, society, our countries, Europe must react,” he told broadcaster Sud Radio.
Responding to consumer demand, Denmark’s largest supermarket chain, the Salling Group, created a star-shaped label this month to mark European-made goods sold in its stores. CEO Anders Hagh said it’s not a boycott, but a response to consumers demanding a way to easily avoid American products.
“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,” he said in a LinkedIn post.
‘I have never seen Danes so upset’
For Bo Albertus, “when Trump went on television and said he would by political force or military force take a piece of the Danish kingdom, it was just too much for me.”
The 57-year-old said he felt powerless and had to do something. He has given up Pepsi, Colgate toothpaste, Heinz ketchup and California wine, and replaced them with European products.
He is now an administrator of the Danish Facebook page “Boykot varer fra USA” (Boycott goods from the U.S.), which has swelled to over 80,000 members.
“Drink more champagne,” one user posted after Trump threatened 200% tariffs on EU wine and Champagne.
Albertus, a school principal, told the AP he really misses the strong taste of Colgate. But he’s been pleasantly surprised at finding a cola replacement that is half the price of Pepsi.
Trump’s policies have “brought the Danish Viking blood boiling,” said Jens Olsen, an electrician and carpenter. He is now considering replacing $10,000 worth of U.S.-made DeWalt power tools even though it will cost him a lot.
He has already found European replacements for an American popcorn brand and California-made Lagunitas IPA beer, which he calls “the best in the world.”
“I’ve visited the brewery several times, but now I don’t buy it anymore,” he said. He has mixed feelings because he is a dual Danish-U.S. citizen, and has spent a lot of time in the United States. But he can’t contain his anger.
“I’m 66 years old and I have never seen the Danes so upset before,” he said.
Michael Ramgil Stæhr has canceled a fall trip to the U.S. and is among many choosing to buy Danish instead of American-made, though he cannot pinpoint the exact moment he made the decision.
“Maybe it was when (Trump) announced to the world press that he intended to ‘take’ Greenland and the Panama Canal, and if necessary by military force. That and the gangster-like behavior towards the Ukrainian president in the White House,” the 53-year-old Copenhagen resident said.
“The man is deadly dangerous and is already costing lives” in the developing world and Ukraine, added Stæhr, who works helping disabled war veterans, many of whom got injured serving alongside U.S. troops in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan. He himself served in Bosnia.
Rising anger in France, too
Edouard Roussez, a farmer from northern France, launched an online group, “Boycott USA, Buy French and European!” that in just two weeks has attracted over 20,000 members on Facebook.
Roussez believes a boycott of U.S. companies is a good way to express opposition to Trump’s policies, especially “the commercial and ideological war” he believes Trump is waging against Europe.
“First of all, these are the companies that financed Donald Trump’s campaign,” he said on state-owned LCP television channel. “I’m thinking of Airbnb, I’m thinking of Uber, I’m thinking of Tesla of course.”
The irony of it all? The group is on Facebook. Roussez said only the American online social media platform gave him the reach he needed. But he’s working to migrate the group to other platforms with no U.S. funding or capital.
As for any impact on U.S. export profits or policymaking, that’s unlikely, said Olof Johansson Stenman, a professor of economics at the University of Gothenburg.
The boycott could have a psychological effect on Americans who see the scale of anger, but “some may also say, ‘We don’t like these Europeans anyway,’” Stenman said.
Some choices are harder than others
Simon Madsen, 54, who lives in the Danish city of Horsens with his wife and 13-year-old twins, says the family has given up Pringles, Oreos and Pepsi Max. Not so hard, really.
But now they’re discussing doing without Netflix, and that is a step too far for the kids.
He also wonders whether he should keep buying Danish-made Anthon Berg chocolate marzipan bars, which are made with American almonds.
It’s important, he said, for people to use the power of the purse to pressure companies to change.
“It’s the only weapon we’ve got,” he said.
