Germans vow to boycott US brands over Trump's tariffs

Many people in Germany have announced plans to boycott US brands, following US President Donald Trump's May tariff announcement on European goods, but only a few are actually following through, an analysis released on Monday showed.

An analysis of 25 food segments, ranging from chocolate to whiskey, has shown no significant decline in sales of US brands compared to German brands, according to market research firm NIQ.

The main reason is because at the moment, there is only moral, but not financial pressure to forgo popular US products. according to David Georgi, a consumption expert at NIQ.

Trump's tariffs have not yet taken effect, so US products have not become more expensive, he said.

If prices were to rise significantly, this could change.

"The price aspect is very important for German consumers," Georgi said.

A YouGov survey in March showed that many consumers indicated they intended to boycott US goods due to the trade dispute, with 53% saying they "definitely" or "probably" would no longer purchase such products.

Experts, however, point to additional factors. Many well-known US products, such as Coca-Cola, would not be affected by tariffs as they are produced in Europe. Furthermore, many consumers are unaware of which brands belong to US companies. Discount campaigns and special offers also strongly influence purchasing behaviour.

Trump's announced May tariffs on EU imports, originally planned for early June, have been postponed to start on July 9, to allow for more time for negotiations. The European Union has also temporarily suspended planned retaliatory tariffs on US products.

A recent YouGov survey showed a large majority of people in Germany expect prices to rise due to the new tariffs.