Danes are increasingly giving up buying American products. As Bloomberg describes, the boycott is bottom-up and not based on slogans or manifestos, but on simple technological tools that aid consumers make decisions on the store shelf.
The direct reason is opposition to the United States' policy towards Greenland and the statements of the Donald Trump administration, perceived in Denmark as undermining the sovereignty of the state.
Mobile applications specified as "UdenUSA" and "Made O Meter" play a key role. After scanning the barcode, the product is marked with information about its links to American capital. In practice, the consumer immediately sees whether the brand belongs to a US company and can opt for a European or local counterpart. The "UdenUSA" app was shortly among the most downloaded in Denmark.
Bloomberg stresses that the economical scale of this phenomenon is limited. Denmark remains a tiny marketplace and boycott is not a real threat to American exports. Its importance is primarily political and symbolic. It is simply a form of civilian opposition, not a tool of economical pressure.
The origins of this attitude should be sought in tensions around Greenland, the autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. Statements by American politicians about the anticipation of taking control of the island in Denmark have sparked a strong social response, especially since Greenland has strategical and identity importance for Danes.
The boycott is besides joined by commercial networks which have become clearer in terms of products of European origin. On social media, groups exchange information about US-related brands and their substitutes are formed.
The Danish case shows that a contemporary consumer boycott does not gotta take the form of a street protest. It can act quietly, individually and systemically, utilizing technology as a tool of regular choice. This is simply a political signal sent not by governments but by consumers.
→ Ed.
25.01.2026
• title photo: protest before the U.S. Consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, photo: Evgeniy Maloletka/AP Photo
