The British Boycott: How UK Citizens Are Abandoning American Brands

The British Boycott Gains Momentum

Coca-Cola. Netflix. Google. Apple. Amazon. McDonald's. Starbucks. These are just a handful of the US mega-brands that many of us use or spend money on every single day. But for some Brits, that's no longer the case. They might not be able to let President Trump know exactly what they think of his policies, but what they can do is put their money where their mouth is and boycott American companies.

Voices from the Movement

Activist and content creator Caroline has been "actively trying not to support the USA for around a decade now", after "learning about imperialism, capitalism, corporate giants and the fact that [the US] has largely monopolised the world".

"Even Americans themselves are saying the best way to help them is to boycott. We should listen to that. Because America is driven by cash, we need to speak its language." — Caroline, TikTok creator

For support worker Sally, the catalyst was the heartbreaking image of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, seen around the world. The youngster, pictured wearing a blue bunny hat and a Spider-Man backpack, was taken from outside his home in Minneapolis by ICE officers along with his father, Adrian.

"I cannot get his face out of my mind, and felt I had to do something," says Sally. Now she and her family are concentrating on quitting a few "hi-vis" American brands, like Coca-Cola.

Brands on the Boycott List

Vie Portland, a 55-year-old author, explains: "When Trump came into power again, we didn't want to do anything that would line his and his allies' pockets, so we started exploring more companies [to boycott]."

The Context: Why Now

According to Dr. Matthew Mokhefi-Ashton, lecturer in politics and the media at Nottingham Trent University, since Trump's second inauguration last January, a "series of cumulative events" has prompted some Brits to reassess where their money is going:

1. Tariffs on British imports (with threats to increase them)
2. Trump's fixation with annexing Greenland from Denmark
3. ICE raids and mass deportations
4. Comments about NATO troops that angered the UK

Trump's recent comments about NATO troops marked "another absolute turning point" for many consumers. Last week, the president claimed that non-US soldiers had "stayed a little back, a little off the front lines" in conflict – a statement that inevitably sparked anger.

The Tourism Impact

Tourism might be "one area where potentially boycotting could make a difference", Mokhefi-Ashton says. Reports of travellers being detained at the border and proposed policies about social-media screening have made the US seem like a far less desirable destination.

Sally, who used to visit the US roughly every two years spending around £5,000 a time, has now decided to go elsewhere: "We have many lovely American friends and adore their beautiful national parks, but have decided to go elsewhere."

The 3.5% Rule

For those who are sceptical about whether seemingly small actions can ever really make a difference, consider the 3.5 per cent rule, a concept developed by Harvard political scientists Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan.

After analysing non-violent resistance movements throughout history, they concluded that peaceful protests mobilising just 3.5 per cent of a country's population (that's about one in every 35 people) tend to achieve their goals and bring about change.

"As Chenoweth has put it, 'a surprisingly small proportion of the population guarantees a successful campaign'."

An Expanding Movement

The British boycott joins similar movements in other countries:

• Denmark: The UdenUSA app allows scanning products to identify American origin
• Canada: 22% drop in visitors to the US and 91% drop in US wine sales
• Germany: Tech independence movement toward European alternatives
• France: Promotion of Qwant and Mistral AI as alternatives to Google and ChatGPT

Conclusion

Caroline has a message for those who think these changes won't make a difference at all:

"Just one person performing one immaculate boycott 'won't make a dent'. But all of us collectively boycotting even a fraction of what we [used] before will. I hope you stop admitting defeat and join the movement for a better world eventually. We will be waiting for you when you're ready."

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Sources: The Independent, World Travel and Tourism Council, Nottingham Trent University