Group members hope the boycott can effectively pressure the US administration, and use the platform to share alternative buying options.
A series of boycott movements emerged in response to the US’ recent policy changes, including Washington’s decision to halt support to Ukraine and the announcement of tariffs on Europe, in what the followers believe will place some pressure on the US administration.
In Sweden, several Facebook groups calling for the boycott of US products have gained a significant number of followers quickly. One group, “Boykot varer fra USA,” racked up almost 67,000 members, while another, “Bojkotta varor från USA,” has more than 70,000.
The groups are urging members to stop buying major US products, including Tesla, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Nike and Levi’s, and stop using services such as Netflix, Google, and Airbnb.
Jannike Kohinoor, creator of the Bojkotta varor från USA group, said she felt compelled to do something despite being a Swedish citizen.
“When I can’t vote in the US elections or demonstrate on the streets in the United States, I feel that I have to do something,” she said.
On the page, members share recommendations on alternative options to US goods and services, but for some, making the switch is not as evident as it might seem.
“It’s difficult because everything has an American influence. So it’s terribly difficult. Then you should boycott almost everything,” a Swedish shopper said.
Another shopper said they understood the initiative but admitted it can be difficult to get people on board “because you go and do your usual shopping and you may not always think about where it comes from.”
Kohinoor said she had been criticised for creating the movement’s group on Facebook, which is owned by American technology conglomerate Meta.
“We have no better alternative,” the group’s creator said. “This is about getting people together and creating a movement. I think you have to gradually change as the alternatives come.”
