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News & politics

Time to boycott U.S. products?

(34 Posts)
TiggyW Tue 11-Mar-25 22:29:54

Canada is boycotting U.S. products. Perhaps we should do the same? Only problem is - which products? McDonald’s, Starbucks and TK Maxx spring to mind. What other American products do we buy? Skechers? Disney? Netflix? Californian wine?

AskAlice Wed 12-Mar-25 19:48:40

I don't do coffee shops so it won't be an issue for me boycotting any American ones. My only problem will be not enjoying the great selection of wines from Morrisons, always good value and a great selection!

BlueBelle Wed 12-Mar-25 19:28:19

I ll happily boycott most things except my Apple phone and iPad

Claremont Wed 12-Mar-25 19:26:08

Chocolatelovinggran

And my plans to visit the USA this year have been shelved.

Ours too, our visit (at last) to Yellowstone has been cancelled. We lost deposit, but never mind.

fancythat Wed 12-Mar-25 19:11:58

Tesla appears to have been boycotted.
And lost 15% of it's share value.
Though whether that is all down to the boycott is debatable apparently.

Jane43 Wed 12-Mar-25 19:07:10

Morrisons and Asda are owned by American conglomerates, it’s why they don’t pay corporation tax. On the rare occasion that I have wine I love Californian Zinfandel but I will swap to rose from another country such as Portugal. I do have an iPad but won’t be swapping it for another tablet in the near future.

LookForward Wed 12-Mar-25 18:57:52

Well reading some of the comments ranging from 'well we us small people can't affect anything so Im not bothering'...up to 'well I really can't be ars**' I despair.

Our generation (the boomer grannies) have had it so good without having to do very much, and now what? Let's just put our heads in the sand and let someone else deal with it shall we?

foxie48 Wed 12-Mar-25 18:06:17

Thank goodness, Clarins is French and owned by a family trust so I can keep piling on my favourite make up! I've got to do something to keep my spirits up!

Chocolatelovinggran Wed 12-Mar-25 17:49:26

And my plans to visit the USA this year have been shelved.

TiggyW Wed 12-Mar-25 16:17:10

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’?!

JamesandJon33 Wed 12-Mar-25 14:27:12

Oh heck. We have a Jeep

Maremia Wed 12-Mar-25 13:50:42

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.

nanna8 Wed 12-Mar-25 11:35:29

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.

Wheniwasyourage Wed 12-Mar-25 10:19:01

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!

Cossy Wed 12-Mar-25 09:57:19

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.

Cossy Wed 12-Mar-25 09:56:36

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 Wed 12-Mar-25 09:56:22

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

ferry23 Wed 12-Mar-25 09:51:06

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.

Doodledog Wed 12-Mar-25 09:23:46

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.

Grantanow Wed 12-Mar-25 09:11:30

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

AskAlice Wed 12-Mar-25 09:05:08

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.

merlotgran Wed 12-Mar-25 09:03:58

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.

ronib Wed 12-Mar-25 08:41:07

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!

karmalady Wed 12-Mar-25 08:24:55

we could start by making our own steel again

foxie48 Wed 12-Mar-25 08:17:28

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.

Allsorts Wed 12-Mar-25 08:15:53

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