To think about boycotting American products and services

[Taytoface]

I feel so helpless in the current madness. It seems like the only act of objection possible is not buying american. Boycotting Israeli products, and South African back in the day, was relatively straightforward, but I have no clue how to de americanise my life. Anyone come across any helpful resources?

It seems to vary between 'it will have no.effect so don't bother' to 'it will devastate British workers'. Maybe pick one.

So will it be Boycott Light, I will boycott if I dont actually have to put effort in to it?

It's like trying to boycott China, almost impossible

Do you not know that the UK has imposed tariffs on US goods?

The Chinese government is worse, so I am trying hard to stop buying. But it’s bloody difficult.
I will be buying British which other than food is very difficult.
But I love a Starbucks, so won’t be happening. Love American tv, but loads of shows are actually made in Canada, must be the tax breaks.

Yes, I agree. In our small seaside town, there was a planning application for a new Costa Coffee to be opened next to a very old established independent coffee shop. Loads of people on the local Facebook page virtue signalling that they'd never use it and that people should use the independent one instead. When challenged, most of them admitted they'd never used the independent one themselves!

Same with loads of people complaining about the crap High street full of charity shops, bookies, turkish barbers and nail bars and asking why people hadn't used the local shops and local pubs etc that had closed down in the town centre. Same response, when challenged, they admitted they hadn't been using them themselves either!

It's so easy for virtue signallers to tell everyone else what to do whilst keeping quiet about what they do/don't do themselves!!

"Do what I do, not what I say" needs to be a new mantra!! Actions speak louder than words.

Well I had the choice this morning for a meeting to sit in McDonalds or Tim Hortons (same retail park). Chose Tim’s. Canadian. Every little helps

And yes I know this is miniscule but if millions make choices, it shows up. Look at Tesla sales in Europe.

Yes, that was what I was saying upthread. None of us can be perfect and completely avoid US goods/services, but we can and should, make incremental/small changes where we can, and if millions of people make small changes, then the US WILL feel it. It's so easy to make small changes and usually won't make any difference to us at all, such as changing our preferred brand of soft drink, chocolate, crisps or baked beans/soups or which supermarket we buy from. It's not as if US owned brands/supermarkets/fast food places are always the cheapest either.

Do you not know that our PM has said that retaliatory tariffs in response to Trump's behaviour are, at this stage, not the way forward?

100% this...

Agree with all of this. Little changes made by millions can make a difference - especially if we choose small uk brands over Amazon.

The biggest hit which wouldn't also affect workers in the UK must surely be tourism.

You are using Amazon right now. Mumsnet is run on Amazon web services.

Retail is a tiny part of Amazon’s business, it’s
really a cloud computing company with a shop attached.

As others have said, it's about lots of people making small changes, not a few people who manage to completely avoid using any US goods/services which is nigh on impossible. Just because someone uses MN doesn't mean they should give up on even trying to avoid using other US businesses. Millions of people making small changes means huge impact, far more than a minority of people attempting to zeroise US business usage. It's not "all or nothing" - it's about reducing where possible/feasible/practical.

You clearly haven’t read the thread. If I leave mumsnet because they use Amazon web services that does not affect Amazon. Mumsnet still uses their service.

if I choose to buy my dog food from a pet shop rather than have Amazon drop it at the door that affects Amazon.

might all be irrelevant anyway if we go to war with the US and they restrict our access to the tech services they provide.

The argument about brand boycotts affecting workers is a poor one.

We swapped from Fairy dishwasher tabs (P&G) to Finish (Reckitts) last year. If everyone did that it would be bad news for the workers involved in the manufacture of the Fairy ones but good news for those who make Finish.

Anything is better than nothing.

As consumers we all have the power to vote with our £. It might feel like a small protest, but why just roll over and say ', I'm powerless'?

Yes much of the virtue signalling is short sighted.

If nothing else it is SO much better for our country try if we try to support British goods and services. The global economy is a wonderful thing but also one which makes us very reliant on others. This puts us in a vulnerable position when we want to make a stand (such as with Greenland).

Uber? They seem like an unethical company. They take 50% of the drivers fare. Is there a European alternative?

Probably not going to make much difference, except give you the illusion of some control over world events that you have absolutely no control of. Middle class UK suburbia cancelling their Prime and Disney + subscriptions isn't going to make any sort of impression on Donald Dick. And history tells us he says a lot of shite he never acts on. Build the wall, anyone?

People all up in arms about his treatment of poor wee Denmark would do well to remember the Danes have made a nice buck over the years allowing the US to station as many troops as they like in Greenland, while benefiting from the security.

The Tangerine Terrorist's time will eventually be done in the Shite House, or maybe he'll die or someone will take him out before that!

And either way, crapitalism wins.

And yet Disney were in significant trouble just a couple of months ago when people cancelled their subscriptions in response to the networks actions in following trumps demands and suspending jimmy kimmel..

so you are clearly wrong.

I think consumer choices DO add up and make a difference. I had plans to visit america - absolutely won't until they settle down! I'm now actively seeking european and canadian alternatives, i think we can move the needle.