Anyone trying to boycott US products?

I fondly remember my old man stating in the late 70's/early 80's that he despised buying American made products as they were always cheaply built and designed to fail.
I can't say I've particularly followed his thinking having owned Spesh, Ibis and now Revel bikes but it's always made me chuckle.
No, I won't boycott America, but I can't see how Trump's tariff's are going to benefit anyone, including America.

Posted by: legometeorology

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But is anyone making any effort to move away from USA companies?

Absolutely.  Make America poor again.  It's the only language they understand.

Yes, but Chris King would be hard to replace.  And its probably worth saying that of my 7 bicycles - 4 are American. 

But in reality, it's not hard to avoid American goods.  I'm not sure we buy anything (food wise) which is American. Most of my clothes are UK/European (but many are/were made in China - RAPHA for example) 

Technology is quite hard.  Phones, GPUs, CPUs, etc.  

No, not at all. The United States has been a global hegemonic  menace all my life, as far as I concerned. But not agreeing with a foreign government's policies isn't a good enough reason for me to boycott that country's produce, there aren't many, if any, governments whose policies I strongly support. Trump will be gone in less than 4 years anyway.

The only country whose produce I am totally boycotting is Israel. But that is part of a global boycott involving millions if not billions of people, it is likely to have some effect on a small country like Israel.  My boycott of Israeli produce predates the current Israeli genocide btw.

Not especially, we're not Canada where there's been previously free trade between them and you could actually have a like for like decision in the supermarket.  You're kinda stuck either boycotting stuff you wouldn't have bought anyway, or buying / using stuff that's simply ubiquitous like your work laptop probably came from Dell or IBM/Lenovo, telecoms probably runs on cisco gear, you holiday plans probably involve Boeing,  P&W or GE, the petrol in your car was probably traded in dollars and via a US company at some point in it's journey.

We own a Ford Fiesta, but that was made in Dagenham from parts made in Mexico, Germany, Hungary, Turkey and probably others if I looked.

I doubt I eat much from American brands anyway as out nearest supermarkets are an Aldi and a Lidl. Heinz beans?

I do own a Harley Davidson, it's a bike, it's bought and paid for long ago, if people are shallow and materialistic enough to make a judgement about me based on that then that's their own problem. And given the company's issues and the number of dealers that have closed you'd struggle to buy a new one anyway!

My dad has another Harley and a Ural sidecar outfit, maybe I should ask him if he's OK 😂

Posted by: ernielynch

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The only country whose produce I am totally boycotting is Israel.

I guarantee a lot of printed items that pass through your hands will be produced on HP Indigo Presses which are made in Israel.

Lots of USA food brands

Walkers crisps

Scott's porridge or Quaker

Tropicana

Doritos 

All owned by pepsi

Yes, but Chris King would be hard to replace.  And its probably worth saying that of my 7 bicycles - 4 are American. 

For me it's 2 of 3, although they are both second-hand steel frames built with whatever else I had/wanted.

I'm certainly not trying to be super dogmatic about this, but thinking about it at all has made me realise how much US stuff I buy almost habitually as I don't want to shop around (Maxxis and Camelbak being recent examples). But it's often easy to buy something European (Pirelli or Conti and Vaude and Deuter, in this case).

Fortunately I've never really understood Chris King -- Hope and DT seem all good.

Shoes are actually tricky. I'm a big fan of things that are actually footshaped, and the majority of brands that suit are american (Altra, Topo Athletic, Merrell, Vivobarefoot, ah, it seems they are majority UK owned via Clarks. Oh, which now apparently means they are owned largely by a Hong Kong investment company... perhaps that highlights the futility of this kind of thing...)

Posted by: the-muffin-man

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Posted by: ernielynch

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The only country whose produce I am totally boycotting is Israel.

 

I guarantee a lot of printed items that pass through your hands will be produced on HP Indigo Presses which are made in Israel.

Yes I am very aware of that sort of possibility. I very specifically boycott produce with a direct connection with Israel, eg something which says "produce of Israel".

I won't go to the extremes that some people go to because I don't believe it is feasible, or even particularly useful, eg the boycott of Starbucks (although I do boycott Starbucks coz its shite coffee imo)

Having said that I would boycott Barclays because of their involvement in Israel. But a boycott of Barclays could have, and probably is having, a significant impact.

CostCo toilet paper is just soooo good though!!

I have half heartedly boycotted the US and will srep it up.  My main issue is their role in global warming

I boycott quite a list of countries.

I don't buy a lot of American stuff anyway. Yes there is a couple of SRAM equipped bikes in the stable, but most are Shimano. I have absolutely no intention of visiting there again. Last time was a right PITA getting in through customs, just took an age. Given their immigration and 'two gender' stance, no chance. 

Lots of USA food brands

Walkers crisps

Scott's porridge or Quaker

Tropicana

Doritos 

All owned by pepsi

But how many of those products actually cross the Atlantic or are you just boycotting Lincolnshire potatoes, Ukrainian oats, Spanish oranges, etc.

Yes as much as is feasible. We were planning a long trip there next year to meet up with friends from Australia. That idea has been canned and we are going to head to Canada instead.

Like Ernie I'm also boycotting Israel.

I'm attempting to where possible. I'm not much into fast food, so maccys, KFC, Starbucks isn't an issue anyway. Bike stuff, there's generally good Euro alternatives and I'm mostly Shimano rather than SRAM based. I'm relatively deep down the Oakley rabbit hole - and I could use new lenses for my Ski goggles and my Jawbreaker bike glasses - that's just going to have to wait. Helmets might be a problem...

Don't use Amazon much - only for Kindle books. 

IT is the big issue. iphone/ipad user (hopefully won't break them!); PC is all microsofty and googly, plus some specialist (US) software but it's dictated by the co. I work for. Not being compatible will just cause animosity

I'm actively boycotting Tesla by being too poor to buy one. That'll show Musk.

But how many of those products actually cross the Atlantic or are you just boycotting Lincolnshire potatoes, Ukrainian oats, Spanish oranges, etc.

This is part of it.  Yes, It's Pepsico, but Walkers are made here.  I think Dorito's are actually Smiths, which means they're Aussi/UK HQ and where they pay tax.  I think they use Aussi potatoes.  But ultimately, Pepsico, are able (whether they do is another matter) to scrape profit from Smiths/Walkers.  

Stop using pretty much all social media, Microsoft products, Apple etc. 

I'm not sure we buy anything (food wise) which is American

Check the raw ingredients (wheat) if not the finished product.

Ultimately, none of this will do anything.  Trump is focusing on investment, not sales.  He wants to show big ticket investment in the US thanks to tariffs and big European investment in defence thanks to browbeating.  Sadly, this is all working like clockwork.  Just look at the recent Hyundai announcement and the rise in European GDP spending on defence.  We're all dancing to Trump's tune.   

Posted by: Daffy

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Ultimately, none of this will do anything

I wondered this when they were going on about boycotting in the other thread.

So, if for example you boycott Fox Racing Shox and they go out of business (unlikely, I suppose, depends how big the UK market is to them..) (but anyway, just an example)... is this likely to effect Trump and his tariffs, or the MTB guys who work in the Fox factory?

So, if for example you boycott Fox Racing Shox and they go out of business (unlikely, I suppose, depends how big the UK market is to them..) (but anyway, just an example)... is this likely to effect Trump and his tariffs, or the MTB guys who work in the Fox factory?

The broader issue is are you boycotting the right people anyway?

Say you boycotted buying flags from America.  Great, you don't buy many stars and stripes anyway so MAGA won't notice, but you put the pride flag factory out of business and MAGA wins anyway.

Swap flag's for household products and foodstuffs and you have Unilever Vs Ben and Jerrys

Ben & Jerry's claims Unilever ousted its boss over political activism - BBC News 

A quick question the Israel boycotters (is that a word?) - What would make you end your boycott?  Or are you opposed to Israel's existence?

I avoid what I can. Lots of unavoidable but better to do something small than nothing.

He is deadly serious about both Canada and Greenland so we have to wean ourselves away, hard though it will certainly be

Trying to avoid anything connected with Musk , Bezos and Zukerberg,.

Didn't some called Adam Smith write The Wealth of Nations to suggest that free trade benefited everybody.

Might be useful is Dismal Donald and his mates grew a brain.

No boycott here. For a start I'm on a Google phone and a Chromebook, but I'm asking myself this question when buying goods 

Can I get similar quality at similar price elsewhere?

If the answer is yes I do it.

Unless elsewhere is Israel which I have been boycotting for 40+ years 

Posted by: redmex

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Lots of USA food brands

Walkers crisps

Scott's porridge or Quaker

Tropicana

Doritos 

All owned by pepsi

 

Who are owned by me, and many others in turn....

I'm not going to boycott but I've always tried to at least somewhat buy ethically and I'm adding it into that. Especially Amazon, not for being american but for Bezos being a total ****, a horrendous employer and now the man behind Vance who somehow manages to be probably the biggest shit in this administration entirely made out of world beating shits.

I've got to be realistic with myself, I've not liked amazon for a long time but I still keep using them because they're cheap and convenient. So I'm not going to stop using them entirely, there's just no way, sooner or later I'll want something tomorrow. And amazon is so built-in now, with web hosting, with courier services- something I bought from someone else just arrived in an amazon van. I'm not going to lose any sleep over that.

But you don't have to completely boycott to make a little difference, that's important to remember, if 2 people cut their spending by half or 10 by 10% or 100 by 1% that's every bit as good as 1 by 100%- provided it's not an excuse not to do more at least. Just like with green stuff, people talk as if it's all or nothing and you have to basically be a monk living in a cave or you're a hypocrite, it's just so damaging, little actions count and if all you're going to do is little actions then you shouldn't ever be deterred by the fact that there are also big actions.

And no I'm not going to boycott good american companies, there's plenty of dudes I like out there doing good stuff and I'm not going to punish them for where they were born.

Yes - or at the very least it has made me much more aware/curious 

 But not agreeing with a foreign government's policies isn't a good enough reason for me to boycott that country's produce, 

For me it's a little deeper than the government - it's more the people that are responsible for that government having the opportunity to be in power to have those policies I have a problem with. In this case, for me, it's an objection to funding the lives of people who gave Trump their vote (or couldn't be bothered to vote) to give him the capacity to do what he's doing. Not when I have a choice and could punt my money elsewhere.

Have I gone completely cold (yanky) turkey? No. Are there grey areas, like Uk/European made goods made by US based multinationals? Of course. Do my individual choices make a scrap of difference? Not on my own. But as a general principle, when given a choice, I'll make anti US choices as a consumer where possible and prioritise that over other considerations possibly to my own detriment.

Also...and this is weird I admit and possibly a good (in a bad way) sign where my head is at the minute....I'm choosing not to watch TV or listen audiobooks where the actors/narrators have american accents as I find them unpleasant to listen to at the minute.

Posted by: failedengineer

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A quick question the Israel boycotters (is that a word?) - What would make you end your boycott?  Or are you opposed to Israel's existence?

Stopping running a racist apartheid regime for a start. Certainly not opposed to Israel's existence, just its actions.

Yep, last couple of weeks a Hope hub and headset acquired instead of my usual Chris King and a Bosch sander instead of a DeWalt. Struggling a bit to find an alternative to what's app but I'm looking, that's going to the most difficult to get rid of. Started the conversation at work about moving away from Facebook and Google for advertising (£80k/year), we've already ditched twitter.

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I'm very surprised for such a lefty forum, of which I'm one of the right wing members, how few are doing this. I was expecting this to be a bigger issue for a lot more of us. Or does the fact that it's sometimes a bit difficult trump morality?

Not boycotting really but I did notice some Jack Daniels in Tesco the other day and found myself thinking that I wouldn't buy that now. I mean I'm not in the habit of buying it, but still, my perception of it has changed.

I think I'm some way from checking labels but I'd probably avoid obviously American stuff if I could now. 

Sort of. It's company specific though. Nestlé aren't American but they've been on my avoid list for 45 years. No Amazon purchases in years. Facebook no ta but my social life would be a shambles without Whatsapp. Tesla, sorry but those charge points are just too reliable, fast, convenient and cheap to drive past, and I feel sorry for Tesla drivers who who bought before last Summer and the workers in Berlin. Specialized and Patagonia I now avoid. Microsoft gets my business but **** X. Warmouth make such good guitar parts I'll still buy. And this website which gets a good chunk of its revenue from US companies - well I'm still here. 🙂

Posted by: failedengineer

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A quick question the Israel boycotters (is that a word?) - What would make you end your boycott?

To start with stop ethnic cleansing and murdering civilians. Complete change of the current governance and a proper move towards a long term peaceful solution.

I have no issue with their existence but do with the current actions of the state.

I'm relatively deep down the Oakley rabbit hole - and I could use new lenses for my Ski goggles and my Jawbreaker bike glasses - that's just going to have to wait.

Oakley are owned by Luxotica who are Italian 

I don't boycott anyone but I just don't buy them. Not because of the country they are made but they are just lousy products. 

A while back I bought two Lodge cast iron skillets (proper stuff Made in USA) because they are very good.

I used to buy plenty of Israeli dates but not anymore because there are other middle eastern dates that are better.

Also I used to buy Israeli "religious" non-alcohol grape "wine" occasionally because I wanted to taste it.  Well, nothing special at all and it tastes like grape juicy with sulphites.  Now I just prefer freshly squeezed grape juicy or Ribena. 

I decided that I would boycott all US products and cultural influences (other than those of BAME origin) that had intrinsic gravitas and worth.

Turns out I don't need to deny myself anything.

🤷‍♂️

I accept the right of Israel to exist , as a homeland for Israelis. I believe that Palestinians also have a right to a homeland.

Posted by: gordimhor

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I accept the right of Israel to exist , as a homeland for Israelis. I believe that Palestinians also have a right to a homeland.

Israel (just a name for the land) is the homeland of Palestinians except with different religion. They should co-exist.  If the leaders are fair they will be respected by All. 

For those looking for an alternative to whatsapp try signal

Nope, about the only thing I can think of that I reuse to have is Tesla, could have got a good deal a couple of years ago as a company car but even back then I thought Musk was **** and refused to have one. 

Not especially, we're not Canada

Is the absolutely disgraceful way they're behaving towards Canada not enough to make you do it? Canada, along with Australia and NZ, are probably our closest allies. No, France is an ally, Belgium is an ally, the US is (was?) an ally. Canada is family! This is the absolute least we can do right now. If the US wants to go it alone and *** their friends over let them, let them find out what alone means. And before you start saying but what about innocent Americans losing their jobs as someone did up there, doing this is protecting innocent people's jobs elsewhere, and more than half of those Americans voted in the tangerine halfwit in the first place, they are responsible.

"We're not Canada" doesn't wash. "They came for the Jews, but I did nothing because I am not a Jew...." You wouldn't buy anything from Russia or North Korea, not that NK has much to sell, but it's time to stop buying American too

Posted by: Oakwood

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I decided that I would boycott all US products and cultural influences (other than those of BAME origin)

Products I can understand, but cultural influences? Good luck with that! Would that include music and musicians? Far and away the majority of American musicians are appalled at the direction their government has taken, so why should I make them suffer financially by boycotting their music? 
Oh and BAME origin? You do realise that there were a lot of Black Americans who supported Diaper Don, voted for him and continue to think he’s their man and is doing God’s work. Take Ye, as an example.

I feel like I should. Trump is temporary, but some of the ideas and damage done won't be. Of course many of the states we're buying products from happen to be democrat, where as we buy far less from republican states. Economy's of republican states tend to be inward focused, and poorer, democrat states tend to be externally focused, and richer. Funny that. Would be easy to stop buying anything American for cycling, cars, tech hardware. Gets nearly impossible for software. I wouldn't bother trying for food, drinks, films, TV. Trouble is it needs enough people on board to make a difference noticeable on the books. Tesla and Twitter are already feeling the heat. Others not so much...yet. Note the 25% tariff on cars, done in large part to shield Elon/Tesla from foreign competition that was about to do a demolition job on them.

Someone up the page mentioned Maxxis. Keep buying, they're Taiwanese.

I struggle with the idea of boycotting the purchase of products in what is a global economy. I've Israeli family. They're beautiful, non-violent people - why would I wish them ill? I've American non-Trump voting friends - why would I wish them ill? 

I think we could probably find plenty of reasons to boycott many countries if we looked at their policies, the power or the funds behind the governments.

For example, why not boycott products from countries whose governments allow the sales of arms to the likes of US and Israel?

Put it the other way.  Why would you put money into the hands of despotic governments?

I wont.

All it takes for evil to flourish is for good folk to do nothing.

Do your family live in isreal?  Then they are complicit in the genocide happening right now

Posted by: tjagain

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Put it the other way.  Why would you put money into the hands of despotic governments?

I wont.

But whether you like it or not I bet you do.

I have Israeli family that are vehemently against their government. Like many people in many parts of the world.

I had family that killed many, many Germans in WW2, and I had family that lived under Nazi rule. I had family that were refugees and lost every other family member to genocide (not the genocide you're thinking of though).

Boycotting seems a very simplistic answer to much more complex problems.

Products I can understand, but cultural influences? Good luck with that! Would that include music and musicians? Far and away the majority of American musicians are appalled at the direction their government has taken, so why should I make them suffer financially by boycotting their music? 

Oh and BAME origin? You do realise that there were a lot of Black Americans who supported Diaper Don, voted for him and continue to think he’s their man and is doing God’s work. Take Ye, as an example.

I may have typed my post in jest to some extent. 😐

Boycotting seems a very simplistic answer to much more complex problems.

It's not just the actual boycotting and its dollar note impact, though.

It's also a general feeling that the rest of the world doesn't like you. So a misdirected boycott of a US firm that opposes Trump might lead to that brand putting out a statement reiterating that opposition and a "hey, you can buy from us, we're not assholes" movement might be born.

It's why I like to characterise Trump voters on Xitter as grass-chewing, inbred, rural halfwits. When someone who is not this stereotype retorts with "we're not all redneck idiots" I can reply with "don't act like it, then".

I heard a good conversation with a bloke who was studying WW2 allied propaganda methods. He was saying that a multi-pronged approach was needed.

Identify people with a lazy stereotype, so you can then have them reject that stereotype and not want to be lumped in with them.

Looks for clear ideological inconsistencies - Musk wants low paid foreign workers in the US working for him, many other prominent Republicans campaigned for American jobs for American guys and gals. Hammer these inconsistencies until they split.

Etc.