Avoiding US goods and services – from tech to whisky to air travel – has forced many to find a new way of living
This week the US imposed 50% tariffs on US$20bn (£15bn) of Canadian goods, and Mark Carney, the country’s prime minister, has vowed to match them “dollar for dollar” after the collapse of trade talks between the two countries last weekend. Donald Trump retaliated on Thursday by ordering the federal government to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America.
Such actions have added fuel to a widespread boycott of US products and services by Canadians that began early last year in response to the president’s trade war and threats to annex his northern neighbour.
More than 3,500 people from across Canada shared with the Guardian via an online callout how they have made changes to their lives in response to the US administration’s political and economic stance. Many expressed deep anger and sadness, but remained resolute that this was now a new way of living.
I am hoping to hear from a real Canadian if this a common thing among Canadians or is it just a handful of people?
Pretty much everyone I know avoids any American products at the grocery store, and I know a few people that have switched off products they like to Canadian alternatives (like ketchup, cheese, etc). My family bought Heinz our whole lives and now we’ve swapped to French’s, which we’ve found we like better so we won’t be switching back anyways. I think one of the biggest things is losing a lot of long time customers and brand loyalty.
Only reason I didn’t start boycotting Heinz ketchup was because I already was after they closed that Canadian plant some years ago. And you’re right, French’s isn’t even a step down and I’m disappointed at businesses/events that have Heinz condiments.
Hell, I’ve been getting a budget brand ketchup since I can’t find French’s with the older style nozzle (and hate the newer ones that need enough force that it’s too easy to squirt way too much) and even that isn’t bad.
And I think that’s going to be a huge lasting impact. All the marketing time and dollars spent building underserved reputations for mediocre brands is going down the drain as Canadians realize they lose nothing by ignoring US brands. And sometimes the lesser known ones are better because the big brands were enshitified and bet it all on name recognition.
Thanks a lot everyone for your answers, you give me hope that this orange guy is not going to get away with everything he does
You should believe it because politicians in the affected states are whining about it.
They’re whining to us instead of to the orange shit king. But that’s a different problem.
Dude, the American imported oranges have been going moldy on the grocery store shelves since Biden left office.
People will go hungry before they buy fascist.
This is starting to become pretty widespread. My local grocery and liquor stores don’t carry any US products, and i don’t miss them at all.
It’s not just the tariffs and other bullshit.
I can’t trust American products to be safe.