What are some US brands to avoid?

[kungfoofighting]

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?

If you’re on TikTok then there’s lots of videos with the answer.

Yesterday I learned that hole Burger King was founded in the US, its parent company is Canadian.

According to TikTok, the hardest bit is finding toiletries not made by US companies like Proctor and Gamble.

Ha, I’m not on TikTok! Yes, you would assume it was US!

Oh yes, good point – and lots of smaller brands come under the P&G umbrella.

There is Unilever – I understand this is based in the Wirral but will double check!

Easiest one is to stop using Amazon for anything

The who owns what brand makes it complicated to know whether or not to boycott. I understand why people are boycotting but if it leads to UK employees of say Starbucks losing jobs then that’s pretty sad.

Bio D - local product for handwash, washing up liquid.

makeitbritish.co.uk/

But if you buy a coffee from Starbucks rather than a local independent coffee shop round the corner, arguably the other baristas at the other coffee shop are losing out? So all things being equal?

makeitbritish.co.uk/best-of-british/top-10-british-ceramics-brands/

I don't see much point in this thread, given that most of us use Microsoft Windows on our computers. So if you're going to give up on Burger King, Kraft etc, you would also have to give up on Microsoft. Good luck with that!

They have ruined Cadbury (and Terry's) chocolate products so I don't buy them anyway.
A lot of US food products are highly processed shit so I don't buy those either.

But better giving up 9 out of 10 brands than giving up none?

Truth!

araiwa · Today 10:40
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Easiest one is to stop using Amazon for anything

Thus putting g thousands of UK jobs at risk. Great idea, not.

Amazon, Apple, Microsoft. Go on. I dare you

I don’t think we’re morally obliged to buy from Amazon.

Amazon itself threatens lots of small businesses and the people who work for them.

You’re always making choices as a consumer – you can’t buy everything from everywhere, but if there are things you need, someone will be getting your custom.

I already avoid 2 of those brands!

LibreOffice is a good alternative to Microsoft and is a German company. It grew out of open source software and was developed by a not-for-profit.

I agree. How many companies in the UK are American owned and have British staff? Off the top of my head my Dp, Dsis, BIL, and 7 friends all work for American firms.

I've started by cancelling my Amazon Prime subscription and no longer shopping with them.

X and Tesla avoid. Tesla's stock price has dropped massively in recent weeks, so this does have an impact.

Big social media and streaming companies such as Facebook and other Meta products, Apple, Netflix, Google, Disney, Snap etc.

Others such as Starbucks, PayPal, Nike, Coca Cola, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Ford, Uber, Pizza Hut, Domino's etc.

And remember, it's not realistic for most of us to stop using all of these companies or sometimes even to boycott them fully, but a 10% reduction is better than nothing, 20% is an improvement on 10% and 50% is even more impactful again. If we all do as much as we can it still sends a message. Hitting these billionaires in their pockets speaks to them in the only language they know and says that their actions have consequences and they affect people.

kungfoofighting · Today 10:51

MrsSkylerWhite · Today 10:47
araiwa · Today 10:40
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Easiest one is to stop using Amazon for anything

Thus putting g thousands of UK jobs at risk. Great idea, not.

II don’t think we’re morally obliged to buy from Amazon.
Amazon itself threatens lots of small businesses and the people who work for them.
You’re always making choices as a consumer – you can’t buy everything from everywhere, but if there are things you need, someone will be getting your custom

We generally can’t afford to buy from small business. Many won’t deliver, either, which is a godsend to disabled people and those who live rurally and rely on hit and miss public transport.
Trump and Musk are twats but I’m not going to cut off my nose to spite my face or put someone else’s job at risk.

The replies to your post honestly make me feel so depressed!

I am also boycotting where I can. I refuse to give to money to companies that support Trump where possible. And if enough people do it, it will hit them where is matters most.

The whataboutery about job losses at huge corporations, who actively pushed so many small business out of the market, is absolutely galling

It is AMAZING just how many companies that appear to be local, are subsidiaries of a US group.

No wonder why so many leaders are silent in the face of Trump’s lunacy.

There are plenty of toiletry brands under the Unilever umbrella, and while they're not exactly hyper-local they're headquartered in London. Examples include Dove, Simple, Lynx.

Lots of other toiletry brands - e.g., Aquafresh for toothpaste - are owned by Haleon, headquartered in Weybridge, Surrey.

I think it’s about boycotting as much as you are able. Easy to boycott things like Apple, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s etc.

Boycotting Microsoft though - it would call on me to quit my job and impossible to find another.

So just do what you can and try and focus on brands from other nations where possible and if you can’t you can’t.

Google? We are trapped and our dependence on US technology is massive. Maybe that annoying phrase 'wake up sheeple' had relevance? Albeit delivered by that very tech.