Time to boycott U.S. products?

I think is impossible but good on Canada for giving it a go. Trump’s treatment of Canada is indefensible. I think all of Europe and the UK should buy from Canada.

I don't buy from any of those companies anyway- although I do sometimes go to TK Maxx didn't know it was American. I don't buy Skechers, have boycotted Disney for years, don't have Netflix and never buy Californian Wine.

Let's me off the hook then...?

I think it would be a good idea to have a law that insists on all products being labelled with their country of origin (maybe with a percentage of component parts listed where relevant). That way, people could make informed decisions about what to buy.

Burger king (Canadian) rather than Mc Donalds, Branston rather than Heinz,

It's the tech stuff that's harder, Google will be the last to go, but I've started - I'm using DuckDuck go and Firefox.

I've stopped using Amazon - difficult but not impossible - 1 month in and have found lots of alternative suppliers. i have found a way of emailing books bought elsewhere to my kindle.

And to all those who say, well we can't do x because y, well perhaps not, but Trump and his cronies only understand money, and if boycotts hit them in their pockets, they may just pause. Look at Tesla!

If we do nothing, they won't change.

We must not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

I'm with this, and have already started. Small things matter - fair-trade products were niche at one time.
Two honourable (ish?) exceptions - both Starbucks and Coca Cola have refused to rescind their DEI programmes.
Poor Mr Trump, what will the cola - loving POTUS do?

Kraft-Heinz will be difficult to avoid. It's quite difficult these days to trace the provenance of our food products because the brand names remain but the parent company changes.

It's a bit like trying to trace your ancestors when the surnames are constantly changing.

What about all those satellites that we use and rely on on a daily basis? We'd all be totally lost.

USA owns 2 thirds, Elon Musk owning the majority. I'm sure you'd not be happy if they disappeared!

I am avoiding American and Chinese products have for a long time. Its so hard to buy British,

I won't be visiting the US and I won't buy a Tesla but it's difficult to avoid American products without hurting people who aren't in the US.

we could start by making our own steel again

I honestly don’t have the time and energy to engage in my own personal trade war. I am though trying to buy much less, buy vintage and secondhand from charity shops. Also not very keen on goods from China but it’s hard enough to find comfortable footwear as it is!

I’m too old to make major changes in my shopping habits and what would be the point when my adult grandchildren spend more money than I ever could on American products?

I choose my battles carefully these days and I have no intention of giving up Netflix, Amazon, Skechers or the occasional visit to TK Maxx.

No more Clinique for me once my daily skincare products run out. Shame, as I have used them for many years but I've found a British made alternative.

This kind of individual boycott usually fizzles out. It's the large scale purchases by very large firms that could have an impact.

Grantanow

This kind of individual boycott usually fizzles out. It's the large scale purchases by very large firms that could have an impact.

Yes, we need boycotts at National level, but that would just accelerate trade wars, and cause unemployment here.

International trade and consumer behaviour (both commercial and private) is a minefield.

We have largely eroded our manufacturing base in the UK as we've been priced out of the market. A lot of factors contributed to this but the cost of labour will always be a driving factor.

Historically we have a robust Union presence - better wages and conditions for workers. But that has made it too expensive to produce in the UK when labour and other costs are cheaper elsewhere in the world -so what's the answer to that?

As pointed out upthread, you and me buying an alternative brand of ketchup wouldn't make the slightest difference, it's the big players who weight the scales. And they're in business to make money.

Just read that in Canada the boycotting is intense, and all USA products are turned upside down on shelves and left.

foxie48

I won't be visiting the US and I won't buy a Tesla but it's difficult to avoid American products without hurting people who aren't in the US.

Exactly. We have visited America and we’re going to go again in the summer, on the end of our Canada trip, however we’ve now started and ended the trip in Canada and won’t step foot in America until this POTUS and his merry men are gone.

Claremont

Just read that in Canada the boycotting is intense, and all USA products are turned upside down on shelves and left.

Good for them! We must stand up to Trump, Musk and Putin.

It's confusing, isn't it? We have been in Starbucks very rarely, but now that they are standing up to Trump, maybe we should support them... I am not prepared to give up Skechers as they are the best shoes I've found, after a lifetime of great difficulty in getting shoes which fit and are comfortable.

We don't use Netflix, Disney+, Amazon or TK Maxx and are not in the market for any car, so that's something, I suppose. Everyone has to make choices!

Not sure what is actually from the USA apart from teslas and apple computers. Most of our stuff is from the peoples republic or local. Far away place.

Purchase Power is our strongest weapon, perhaps our only one, and money makes the world go round. We did it before, with Del Monte and South African goods. Yes, do our own wee bit, if we can.

Oh heck. We have a Jeep

I didn’t know that Starbucks is standing up to Trump. Good for them!👍 I’d love to buy Canadian goods, but I’m not sure I’ve ever bought anything from there. 🤔
Unfortunately China is another matter - is it possible to shop nowadays and not buy something that’s ‘Made in China’?!