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• Europeans are turning their back on US goods, according to a new study from the University of Cologne. 
• 61 percent of Europeans surveyed avoid American products, according to the survey. 
• This could signal a permanent shift in European consumer culture. 

Something strange is happening on the shelves of European supermarkets and in the online carts of EU shoppers: U.S. products are getting left behind. And it’s not just about inflation.

From Berlin to Bordeaux, Copenhagen to Croatia, a growing number of consumers are turning away from American-made goods, and they’re doing it on purpose. 

Welcome to Europe’s latest consumer movement: the quiet boycott of US brands. 

A recent survey by the University of Cologne dropped a headline-grabbing stat: one in three German consumers now refuses to buy US products outright. That’s not a casual preference; it’s a full-on rejection. 

Why? According to the report, it’s a mix of skyrocketing costs due to U.S. tariffs and a growing discomfort with America’s economic and political stance under its current leadership. 

It gets even deeper: 61 percent of those surveyed said they actively avoid certain U.S. brands, Tesla unsurprisingly being among the most mentioned.  

The US car giant, which has suffered domestically in the U.S. recently, following the public bromance break-up of Elon Musk and Donald Trump, has been simultaneously navigating the repercussions of a steep drop in demand overseas. Tesla’s European sales are reportedly down by more than 40 percent in 2025. 

A Continental Mood 

Germany’s not alone. Across Europe, there’s a mood shift in the air: 

In Austria, 71 percent say they’re prepared to boycott American goods, according to a poll, conducted by the Austrian Gallup Institute, which also found that 55 percent of Austrians consider Trump’s presidency a threat to the European Union. 

Across Scandinavia, Facebook groups in Sweden and Denmark, some with over 90,000 members, are helping users identify and avoid U.S. products. Anti-American sentiment has grown in Denmark especially, not just in response to tariffs but due to America’s aggressive foreign policy surrounding Greenland, a Danish oversees territory.   

Similarly, French farmer Edouard Roussez started the Boycott USA, Buy French! Facebook group which now has more than 32,000 followers. 

“The message from Washington is clear: ‘We don’t need you, but you need us,’” Roussez, tells Belgium based publication, Brussels Signal. “Well, that doesn’t sit right with me. We’re going to make sure we don’t need the Americans anymore. Something had to be done.” 

Tesla’s dwindling appeal has opened up opportunities for European car manufacturers to fill the void, with the Financial Times reporting that where demand for the Tesla’s new Y model has been slow, the popularity for electric cars has remained high. Sales of EVs from Volkswagen and BMW have both increased significantly where Tesla has declined.  

It’s Not Just About the Money 

Sure, prices are up. But here’s the twist: Europeans aren’t just looking for cheaper alternatives. They’re making value-based decisions. 

Apps like “BuyEuropean” and “Detrumpify Yourself” have popped up, helping users track U.S. linked brands and find local replacements. Online campaigns such as the French ‘Boycott USA’ are urging consumers to use local alternatives to American brands such as McDonalds, Levi’s and even subscription based services like Netflix.  

This isn’t just consumer choices, it’s also about goods and services European businesses are willing to engage with as well. 

According to a European Central Bank (ECB) study, published this year, almost half of euro-zone consumers are ready to permanently change their buying habits, even if prices normalise. This isn’t a flash-in-the-pan reaction to tariffs. It’s a longer-term shift in consumer identity. 

Europeans across the board are altering their consumer habits on principle. The survey surprisingly found the higher the average income, the more likely the individual consumer was to switch from American products to European alternatives. 

This is possibly due to the fact that higher earning households are more concerned by preference than cost, when applied to their purchasing habits. Even when individuals are more likely to afford the more expensive American goods, they are intentionally picking domestic alternatives.    

What Happens Next? 

As the ECB’s data suggests, this may be part of a wider continental shift.  

Rather than a short-lived ripple effect tied to volatile trade policy, we may be witnessing the emergence of a lasting, pan-European preference for non-U.S. brands. 

This almost subconscious consumer and business recalibration may reshape supply chains, alter marketing strategies, and even further change geopolitical perceptions of transatlantic identity. 

There are still questions to ask:  

Will this movement last? Will Americans notice? Could this reshape transatlantic business? 

Where Trump’s random and fast changing policy is dictating American foreign trade; considered, reasoned and long term culturally altering consumer decisions are being made in Europe. 

One thing’s for sure, European consumers are sending a clear message, and it’s written in every skipped bottle of Coke, every unsubscribed service, and every empty Tesla showroom.

By, Adam Kelly-Moore

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