Page 3 | What are some US brands to avoid?

kungfoofighting · 2025-03-07T10:32:06+00:00

Following on from suggestions to boycott US products, it seems a lot of brands might be US-owned with a lot of consumers not realising. Like Mondolez owning Cadbury for example. What are some others?

Thoughtsonstuff · 09/03/2025 08:57

kungfoofighting · 09/03/2025 08:55

Funnily enough have never bought Nestle – for all the obvious reasons

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Lots of the products listed by the PP are actually a good thing to give up anyway for health reasons. I'm quite inspired by her list now!

Original poster

kungfoofighting · 09/03/2025 08:55

Thoughtsonstuff · 09/03/2025 08:52

Nestle aren't American.

And you should be making your own Marmalade!

Edited

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Funnily enough have never bought Nestle – for all the obvious reasons

OP posts:

Thoughtsonstuff · 09/03/2025 08:52

AnxiouslyAwaitingSpring · 09/03/2025 02:13

Helpful reminder to anyone not aware but Sky tv is now owned by Comcast so get that dish down!
Hotel Chocolat & Morrisons are owned by American private equity firms!

Kit Kats are made in York but are part of Nestle so out they go. Nesquick goes too, along with Nescafé.
Costa coffee is owned by Coca Cola believe it or not, so 🚫 to Costa! Obviously Starbucks too, is 🇺🇸
Astonishingly, HP sauce is now owned by Heinz....
Hartley's jam is now 🇺🇸
The clothing brands 'Toast' 'Me + Em' & 'Zara' are also American owned. Along with Laura Ashley & Ben Sherman.
Aveda is 🇺🇸 as it's part of Estée Lauder
Obviously Netflix & Uber are both 🇺🇸
Harper Collins publishers 🇺🇸
Weetabix 🇺🇸
Wilkinson Sword 🇺🇸
Virgin Media is now 50% 🇺🇸
Ella's Kitchen, Gale's Honey, Rose's jam & marmalade, Frank Cooper's marmalade, Robertson's (Golden Shred Marmalade), Sun Pat, Linda McCartney, Yorkshire Provender & Covent Garden soup, are all owned by Hain Celestial which is 🇺🇸

So in conclusion it's going to be excruciatingly difficult to boycott all American brands!

Nestle aren't American.

And you should be making your own Marmalade!

Tishomingo · 09/03/2025 08:52

VioletsAndDaisiesToHideAllTheCrazy · 09/03/2025 03:09

Isn’t the mumsnet site hosted by Amazon Web Services which is US owned?

Does that mean all the people wanting to boycott American products need to stay off mumsnet?

Yes, they are, I’ve just posted it on another thread about boycotting American products.

Are all these posters going to boycott mumsnet? I doubt it.

Thoughtsonstuff · 09/03/2025 08:49

l3tsdanc3 · 09/03/2025 02:07

We have been doing it a few weeks now - not everything because that's unrealistic, but every little helps! Hardest thing was finding alternatives to Heinz beans and ketchup! Household products etc very easy if you buy Unilever instead. And yes I have to use Microsoft at work but I have no choice, but at home we use Linux and duck duck go (American but better for privacy) and yes I'm using an iPhone but at least it's second hand and I don't plan on buying another one any time soon anyway. I'll carry on spending money and contributing to the economy, just hopefully boosting British and European companies instead.

Branston beans won the Telegraph taste test and beat Heinz by miles so give that a go? I see Branstons (amazingly) are ultimately owned by the Japanese and we like them.

Thoughtsonstuff · 09/03/2025 08:47

AnxiouslyAwaitingSpring · 09/03/2025 01:30

Boots have always been part of Walgreens - an American company.
Also, ASDA is still a minority percentage owned by Wal-Mart after they sold their majority share a few years back.
Vauxhall are part of General Motors who are an American company so out with those Astras, Mokkas, Corsas & Grandlands etc! Don’t forget to ditch your iPads, iPhones, AirPods, AirTags & Macs too whilst you're all at it. Also Galaxy chocolate, Mars, Nestle including Carnation, Oreo, Kelloggs (including Pop Tarts). Oh and let's not forget Heinz! Baked beans may be quintessentially British but Heinz is as American a company as there ever was! Walkers crisps may be British too but they are owned by PepsiCo which is also American so out they go too! Along with Coca Cola products.

Do you see how ridiculous this is??

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I'm not usually one to boycott things but this time I think I'm going to. Your list is helpful and eminently achievable.

Carlyhouse · 09/03/2025 08:42

Cancel your streaming services?

There is not much point in boycotting brands you never use and that are consequential to the country's stock market or economy.

coolmum123 · 09/03/2025 08:37

Plantatreetoday · 09/03/2025 02:54

You could do a family taste test when it comes to Heinz alternatives 🥳 it’s actually quite fun
For Baked beans we like Aldi . We did a taste test with our kids comparing
Heinz ( which they’d never had anyway ) Aldi and Lidl and Aldi won 5/5

Still searching for non US dry cat food to support kidney function though and any decent dry dog food too. So many are US owned

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We feed our dog dry food from Essentials dog food. Think it’s Scandinavian / European. You can buy direct from them and delivery is pretty quick too

ETA they do cat food too

coolmum123 · 09/03/2025 08:34

l3tsdanc3 · 09/03/2025 02:07

We have been doing it a few weeks now - not everything because that's unrealistic, but every little helps! Hardest thing was finding alternatives to Heinz beans and ketchup! Household products etc very easy if you buy Unilever instead. And yes I have to use Microsoft at work but I have no choice, but at home we use Linux and duck duck go (American but better for privacy) and yes I'm using an iPhone but at least it's second hand and I don't plan on buying another one any time soon anyway. I'll carry on spending money and contributing to the economy, just hopefully boosting British and European companies instead.

Re Heinz beans.

I’ve found M&S beans are just as good if that helps. We are not buying Californian wine. Looking at the list we have unconsciously been ‘boycotting’ some of the US goods just through what we have actually chosen but anyway so result for us.

Original poster

kungfoofighting · 09/03/2025 08:20

ChickenLittlesCat · 09/03/2025 08:15

It's really not weird and I'm certainly not a bot. It's just a genuinely pointless boycott, it might make you feel like you're doing something. But laugh away. Canada removing the American alcohol from their shelves is a proper boycott. Dave from Croydon swapping to a British Easter Egg because fucking TikTok told him to do so is pointless.

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Thanks for sharing!

OP posts:

ChickenLittlesCat · 09/03/2025 08:15

kungfoofighting · 09/03/2025 01:29

Yes it’s very weird isn’t it 😂😂

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It's really not weird and I'm certainly not a bot. It's just a genuinely pointless boycott, it might make you feel like you're doing something. But laugh away. Canada removing the American alcohol from their shelves is a proper boycott. Dave from Croydon swapping to a British Easter Egg because fucking TikTok told him to do so is pointless.

VioletsAndDaisiesToHideAllTheCrazy · 09/03/2025 03:09

Isn’t the mumsnet site hosted by Amazon Web Services which is US owned?

Does that mean all the people wanting to boycott American products need to stay off mumsnet?

Plantatreetoday · 09/03/2025 02:54

l3tsdanc3 · 09/03/2025 02:07

We have been doing it a few weeks now - not everything because that's unrealistic, but every little helps! Hardest thing was finding alternatives to Heinz beans and ketchup! Household products etc very easy if you buy Unilever instead. And yes I have to use Microsoft at work but I have no choice, but at home we use Linux and duck duck go (American but better for privacy) and yes I'm using an iPhone but at least it's second hand and I don't plan on buying another one any time soon anyway. I'll carry on spending money and contributing to the economy, just hopefully boosting British and European companies instead.

You could do a family taste test when it comes to Heinz alternatives 🥳 it’s actually quite fun
For Baked beans we like Aldi . We did a taste test with our kids comparing
Heinz ( which they’d never had anyway ) Aldi and Lidl and Aldi won 5/5

Still searching for non US dry cat food to support kidney function though and any decent dry dog food too. So many are US owned

TooBigForMyBoots · 09/03/2025 02:54

Zara is Spanish.
Nestle is Swiss.
Gales Honey is British.

Plantatreetoday · 09/03/2025 02:48

AnxiouslyAwaitingSpring · 09/03/2025 02:20

How could I forget all of these too?

Lidl and Aldi are great for own brand copies of a lot of the UKs favourites and looking at this list they cover many on it

TooBigForMyBoots · 09/03/2025 02:41

hotblacktea · 09/03/2025 02:38

isn't zara (inditex) majority owned by a spanish billionaire, so not US ?

Edited

Yes. Those lists aren't quite accurate.

hotblacktea · 09/03/2025 02:38

isn't zara (inditex) majority owned by a spanish billionaire, so not US ?

Plantatreetoday · 09/03/2025 02:33

There’s another thread for chocolate lovers and those out shopping for Easter

Plantatreetoday · 09/03/2025 02:26

AnxiouslyAwaitingSpring · 09/03/2025 01:30

Boots have always been part of Walgreens - an American company.
Also, ASDA is still a minority percentage owned by Wal-Mart after they sold their majority share a few years back.
Vauxhall are part of General Motors who are an American company so out with those Astras, Mokkas, Corsas & Grandlands etc! Don’t forget to ditch your iPads, iPhones, AirPods, AirTags & Macs too whilst you're all at it. Also Galaxy chocolate, Mars, Nestle including Carnation, Oreo, Kelloggs (including Pop Tarts). Oh and let's not forget Heinz! Baked beans may be quintessentially British but Heinz is as American a company as there ever was! Walkers crisps may be British too but they are owned by PepsiCo which is also American so out they go too! Along with Coca Cola products.

Do you see how ridiculous this is??

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Why would people throw away something they already own 🤣🤣
Thats not the point….

The point is,( for those who want to ) to reduce buying American products.
Thete are many alternatives out there if people are interested and @kungfoofighting has set up this thread so we can all share our knowledge on US brands and alternatives.

The examples you have given all have alternatives and also own brand copies Its worth noting Nestle ….the baby formula scandal was an utter disgrace and they still refuse to abide by ingredient requirements. I have never bought a thing from them ever and never would

Original poster

kungfoofighting · 09/03/2025 02:25

AnxiouslyAwaitingSpring · 09/03/2025 02:20

How could I forget all of these too?

Thanks again! We get Royal Canin, although think that’s the only one from the list

OP posts:

TooBigForMyBoots · 09/03/2025 02:24

I find the Lidl dupes much superior to Mars. Mars seem to have adopted the waxy recipe that's ruined so many good chocolates.

Original poster

kungfoofighting · 09/03/2025 02:22

AnxiouslyAwaitingSpring · 09/03/2025 02:13

Helpful reminder to anyone not aware but Sky tv is now owned by Comcast so get that dish down!
Hotel Chocolat & Morrisons are owned by American private equity firms!

Kit Kats are made in York but are part of Nestle so out they go. Nesquick goes too, along with Nescafé.
Costa coffee is owned by Coca Cola believe it or not, so 🚫 to Costa! Obviously Starbucks too, is 🇺🇸
Astonishingly, HP sauce is now owned by Heinz....
Hartley's jam is now 🇺🇸
The clothing brands 'Toast' 'Me + Em' & 'Zara' are also American owned. Along with Laura Ashley & Ben Sherman.
Aveda is 🇺🇸 as it's part of Estée Lauder
Obviously Netflix & Uber are both 🇺🇸
Harper Collins publishers 🇺🇸
Weetabix 🇺🇸
Wilkinson Sword 🇺🇸
Virgin Media is now 50% 🇺🇸
Ella's Kitchen, Gale's Honey, Rose's jam & marmalade, Frank Cooper's marmalade, Robertson's (Golden Shred Marmalade), Sun Pat, Linda McCartney, Yorkshire Provender & Covent Garden soup, are all owned by Hain Celestial which is 🇺🇸

So in conclusion it's going to be excruciatingly difficult to boycott all American brands!

Wow, there’s a lot here I would never have guessed. Zara is a tough one!

I don’t even eat sugary stuff nowadays, but feel weirdly disappointed to see Rose’s lime jam on this list…!

Thanks for sharing

OP posts:

AnxiouslyAwaitingSpring · 09/03/2025 02:20

How could I forget all of these too?

biscuitandcake · 09/03/2025 02:18

TotHappy · 09/03/2025 00:45

Just seen a headline that Boots has been bought out by US private equity firm. They are making it harder! I don't shop at Boots loads tbf but it's the high street option for lots of things.

Often "bought out by a private equity firm" is followed by "massive decline in quality and services leading to a decline in sales". Which is then followed by "Boots announced they would be closing all its stores..." RIP Toys R Us...
I agree, it will be shit to lose them from the high street...

TooBigForMyBoots · 09/03/2025 02:16

Polish ketchups are also good.