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 , but it's not just that. There are also the threats to take control of and . 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.
鈥淭rump really looks like a bully who tries in every way to intimidate, threaten others to get his way," he told The Associated Press. 鈥淚 will fight against that kind of thing.鈥�
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 鈥� and very possibly strongest in Denmark given
Google trends showed a spike in searches for the term 鈥淏oycott USA,鈥� and 鈥淏oycott America,鈥� 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 , 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.
鈥淏efore Elon Musk started to act like a maniac a Tesla could have been an option. And maybe a Ford,鈥� 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鈥檚 policies.
Describing the United States as 鈥渁 country closing in on itself,鈥� he cited Trump鈥檚 withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and Musk鈥檚 arm gestures. He said he was instead buying European models, even though it would cost an additional 150,000 euros ($164,000).
鈥淚ndividual consumers, society, our countries, Europe must react,鈥� he told broadcaster Sud Radio.
Responding to consumer demand, Denmark鈥檚 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.
鈥淥ur 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,鈥� he said in a LinkedIn post.
鈥業 have never seen Danes so upset鈥�
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.鈥�
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 鈥淏oykot varer fra USA鈥� (Boycott goods from the U.S.), which has swelled to over 80,000 members.
鈥淒rink more champagne,鈥� 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 鈥渂rought the Danish Viking blood boiling,鈥� 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 鈥渢he best in the world.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e visited the brewery several times, but now I don鈥檛 buy it anymore,鈥� 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.
鈥淚鈥檓 66 years old and I have never seen the Danes so upset before,鈥� he said.
Michael Ramgil St忙hr 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.
鈥淢aybe it was when (Trump) announced to the world press that he intended to 鈥榯ake鈥� 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,鈥� the 53-year-old Copenhagen resident said.
鈥淭he man is deadly dangerous and is already costing lives鈥� in the developing world and Ukraine, added St忙hr, 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, 鈥淏oycott USA, Buy French and European!鈥� 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鈥檚 policies, especially 鈥渢he commercial and ideological war鈥� he believes Trump is waging against Europe.
鈥淔irst of all, these are the companies that financed Donald Trump鈥檚 campaign,鈥� he said on state-owned LCP television channel. 鈥淚鈥檓 thinking of Airbnb, I鈥檓 thinking of Uber, I鈥檓 thinking of Tesla of course.鈥�
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 鈥渟ome may also say, 鈥榃e don鈥檛 like these Europeans anyway,鈥欌�� 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.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the only weapon we鈥檝e got,鈥� he said.
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AP writers Stefanie Dazio in Berlin, John Leicester and Samuel Petrequin in Paris, and Laurie Kellman in London contributed.
Vanessa Gera, The Associated Press
