The trade war started by U.S. President Donald J. Trump has sent ripples around the world. Although it may have started with jargon beyond the comprehension of a common man, with Tariffs and other forms of penalties hitting particular sectors, it has now hit shelves of supermarkets flocked by common folk every day.
Recall how a certain section of the population started boycotting Israeli backed goods including the likes of Starbucks and McDonald’s as a mark of protest against the Gaza War and in solidarity with the Palestinians?
The statements and threats made by President Trump have irked the nations to adopt a similar measure. The first jolt was felt in Canada, where they started renaming Americano as Canandiano or relocating the domestically made goods at an Eye-Level at the shelves for an easy pick-up and parking the American products either in a remote corner or the lesser reachable isles, and the owners are happy to have them will away for a greater cause. This can be understood as voting with Wallets.
At Loblaw Cos., the country’s largest food purchaser, sales of Canadian food has grown by 8% in the first week of February before the bright red signs with a Maple Leaf Symbol went up, encouraging them to consciously buy Canadian. The company’s CEO shared on LinkedIn.
At another equally popular grocery store Metro Inc. in Toronto one could see U.S.-grown apples unheeded to right next to a nearly sold-out rack of Canadian ones. Mexican bell peppers were nearly out of stock near an unloved pile of U.S. counterparts, because of this the later we’re nearing their decay.
With even a distaste developing for the American gesture Canadians can be easily seen turning away from Californian Pinot Noirs in the restaurant menus, showing the boycott across all stratas of the society.
Christopher Dip, a Montreal-based engineer, developed an app called Buy Beaver that scans barcodes to tell consumers whether a product is Canadian. The App has garnered over 40,000 downloads already showing the Canadian discontent. As for the traditional means the ushers at the supermarkets have been aiding shoppers to look for good viable alternatives.
The situation isn’t one of a total boycott, though. Those who have the means to buy the alternative good, even for a certain premium, opt for it, and those with limited means aren’t frowned upon.
Interestingly, since Canada isn’t the only country U.S.A managed antagonising, similar pattern is being seen in certain Supermarkets in Europe.
Denmark’s largest grocery store operator is introducing a Black Star to shop local and avoid purchasing American goods. Since March 2025, Black Stars are pasted over the Bar Code symbolizing European-produced groceries. This is being implemented in over 1700 stores across Denmark, Germany, and Poland run by the Salling Group.
Danish Facebook page “Boykot varer fra USA” (Boycott goods from the U.S.), which has swelled to over 80,000 members, and has a picture of a Crushed Coke Can as it’s symbol of resistance.
The administrator of this viral page, For Bo Albertus, a 57 Year Old said that “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.”
A similar page in France, started by a farmer of limited means, became all the rage on Facebook. The Admin of the page Roussez, expressed that that this isn’t going to bring down President Trump, or make him feel a pinch, however if he believes in America first, we believe in France and EU first.
He also added, “Americans are fond of symbols. We remember the freedom fries symbolism used during the Iraq war. Now we are using those same symbols against them.”
France as well is witnessing a change in consumer perspective of buying European and boycotting American brands, such as McDonald’s, KFC, Starbucks, Tesla , Coca Cola and the likes. This was a choice shift that has occurred across the board cutting through party lines.
The Danish unrest, owing to the bullying nature of President Trump’s wish to ‘annex’ Greenland and French discontent for the treatment of Ukraine’s PM Zelenksy, as well as a heightened shift from bonhomie to a reliable ally, speaks about the faltering lines of the US Trade War, which doesn’t seem to be favouring the ‘superpower’.
Also Read: Global Alliances Shift Amidst Trump’s Tariff Turmoil
