Commercial conflict: “Buy from EU”-what does without US products

The outrage is great, the reflex too human: the US government covers our economy with tariffs? Okay, then we don’t like your economy anymore. In Canada, US providers withdraw from supermarket shelves in the course of the “Buy Canadian Instead” campaign. The Canadian idea follows the “Buy from EU” initiative – buying European. According to their own statements, the creators are not concerned with boycott of US products, but about more visibility from European offers.

In fact, a lot that Americans offer can be replaced by manufacturers from Europe. For one or the other, such as technology hardware, one could fall back on Japanese or South Korean providers. In a few, but neuralgian bodies, it would be difficult to do without “Made in the USA”. Even more: A comprehensive boycott of US products not only has their manufacturers, but ultimately also the German and European economy.

Only three large carmakers from the once huge US industry are left: Ford, General Motors (Cadillac, Chevrolet) and Tesla. In Germany, they bring it together to an annual turnover of around eleven billion euros. Elon Musk’s company Tesla converts much more than half of it, but most recently with a significant decline. If nobody would buy US cars in this country, or in Europe, more than 40,000 jobs in Germany alone would be at risk from manufacturers and their displaced.

You don’t have to fill up with the US providers Jet (Phillips 66) and Esso (Exxon). British, Poland, French and Italians offer enough fuel and petrol pumps. The British Shell Group felt what a buyer strike can do at the petrol station in 1995: minus 50 percent sales in Germany after the company wanted to dispose of its Brent Spar oil facility in the North Sea. Jet and Esso in Germany were an annual turnover of around 15 billion euros. But also about roughly estimated 10,000 jobs at their petrol stations alone.

Is Fast Food American species necessary? Certainly not. But it is occasionally practical. Otherwise, the approximately seven billion euros that are implemented annually in US chains in Germany can hardly be explained. McDonald’s are omitted by five billion alone. Followed by Burger King, Subway, KFC and Starbucks. And the Coca-Cola Group (Fanta, Sprite, Mezzo Mix, Lift, Fuze Tea, Apollinaris, Vio) will implement around three billion euros a year in Germany.

Everything dispensable, completely clear. Depending on the region, you could snack, for example, fish rolls, fried/currywurst, meatball or liver cheese. And kebabs and pizza almost everywhere. And you could drink refreshing drinks from Vita (Schmalkalden) or Fritz (Hamburg) to name two German manufacturers. But: Without the US gastro, Germany would have a whopping 100,000 workplaces less. Calculated without the jobs at domestic suppliers.

Yes, you can buy adidas instead of Nike, diesel and pepe instead of Levi’s and Lee. And it would hardly endanger jobs in Germany and Europe. Because all fashion groups mainly produce in Asia. A boycott of the iconic US brands? Probably a matter of taste.

From a consumer perspective, the use of Amazon is more of a matter of attitude. No question: a consumer life without the click at the largest mail order company in the world is possible. The group dominates around seven percent of the total German trade, implementing around 30 billion euros per year in Germany. More than any other US company. A user strike indirectly also performed more than 45,000 small and medium-sized dealers and producers from Germany who sell via Amazon. And all over the world. No European or Asian company can currently offer this “global brand” benefit.

In addition to Amazon Prime, the US corporations Disney, Netflix, Comcast (WoW), Paramount and Apple offer video content in Germany. America’s new and old dream factories in the subscription. There are alternatives from Europe, of course, among others from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Great Britain. But it is a little like in terms of fashion: a matter of taste.

It gets serious in terms of technology and communication. A waiver of the use of the offers of the US platform groups Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp), Alphabet (Google, YouTube) and Elon Musks X (Twitter) is possible. And you don’t fell back to the digital Neandertal. There is also an internet search away from Google. However, the social pressure to use at least some of the services is immense, but the useful benefits are low. Because the services do not cost any money. Payment is made with data that the corporations convert in Werbegelder. Whether or how long there are billions of consumers worldwide? Hardly to estimate serious.

The departure of US operating systems for computers and smartphones would be much more difficult. The city of Munich’s attempt to establish a Linux-based system instead of Microsoft was canceled after three years. And without Android (alphabet) and Apple’s OS, hardly a smartphone works today; Neither do medical treatments without the products of Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson or Merck (US).

is certainly a good thought. But with all healthy consumer patriotism: Economic isolation tends to reduce competition and progress, increase prices and can lead to increasing unemployment. And: Not every American company acts like that of Elon Musk and those of a few other US billionaires. A differentiated look at the attitude is worthwhile – for everyone involved. And beyond the Atlantic.