Recent political developments surrounding Greenland have led to tangible effects on American companies operating or selling products in Denmark. President Donald Trump announced on a Wednesday that the United States and Denmark may have arrived at an agreement regarding Greenland, a strategic Arctic territory. However, this political tug-of-war has already caused significant consumer pushback in Denmark, manifesting as boycotts against U.S.-based companies and products.
Danish consumers, incensed by the U.S. presidency's overtures to purchase Greenland and by threats of trade tariffs targeting countries affirming Danish sovereignty, have taken to leveraging technology to support their boycott efforts. Two mobile applications, NonUSA and Made O'Meter, surged into the top ten most downloaded apps on both iOS and Android platforms within Denmark during January, according to reporting by TechCrunch. These applications enable users to identify the origin of products via barcode scanning, highlighting whether goods are American-made and often recommending alternative local or non-U.S. options.
Particularly striking is NonUSA's ascent from ranking 441st to the number one spot in a matter of weeks, underscoring the intensity of the boycott sentiment. Similarly, Made O'Meter maintained a robust position within the top five apps. Aggregate downloads for both apps surged approximately 867% over a seven-day period compared to the previous week.
Although centered in Denmark and Greenland, this phenomenon appears to be supported by users in neighboring Nordic countries including Norway, Sweden, and Iceland, suggesting a regional solidarity with Danish positions on the Greenland issue.
The boycott's reach extends to prominent U.S. corporations, particularly notable companies such as Netflix, the global streaming powerhouse. In the fourth quarter, Netflix reported $3.87 billion in revenue from the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region, marking an 18% year-over-year growth and making it the company's second-largest revenue area. Despite Denmark likely representing a small proportion of Netflix's overall subscriber base, resident reports indicate subscription cancellations in favor of local streaming services, a clear sign of the growing backlash intersecting with consumer choice.
American consumer product companies also find themselves impacted. Visuals from Made O'Meter highlight products like Head & Shoulders shampoo, a Procter & Gamble Co. brand, flagging a potential risk for such U.S.-based manufacturers within the Danish market. Similarly, Coca-Cola faces opposition with Danish consumers favoring local alternatives such as Jolly Cola. Despite Coca-Cola products being produced domestically in Denmark under a licensing agreement with Carlsberg, consumer boycotts against the brand have occurred earlier in the year amidst trade tensions.
The ripple effects of the dispute are observable in the travel sector as well, with Danish travelers reportedly canceling trips to the United States. The travel app Rejsekort has climbed into the list of top ten most downloaded apps recently, attributed in reports to accommodating individuals rescheduling or reconsidering travel to America. Notably, several U.S. airlines, including United Airlines Holdings Inc., provide direct flight connections from major U.S. cities to Copenhagen, emphasizing the commercial ties potentially affected by such consumer actions.
Financial markets have also registered the repercussions of the Greenland controversy. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), which tracks the S&P 500 index, declined by approximately 1.5% on Tuesday following President Trump's hints at enforcing higher tariffs on European nations supporting Danish sovereignty over Greenland. This day witnessed substantial losses amounting to over $700 billion in valuation for major tech stocks often referred to as the "Magnificent Seven." Encouragingly, markets rebounded modestly by Wednesday with SPY climbing 1.2%.
Survey data reflect domestic skepticism within the United States regarding the idea of purchasing Greenland or leveraging military force in relation to the island, indicating potential political headwinds amid public opinion. The ongoing political dispute between the U.S. and Denmark raises the specter of escalating tensions that could further entangle American companies in retaliatory consumer boycotts in Denmark and possibly across neighboring markets.