Since the announcement of key political decisions and, recently, import tariffs on products by the US, some European retailers have reacted by highlighting European products in their assortment. Also, online various groups and forums have popped up that are sharing European alternatives for American products.
Social media plays a big role in reaching a very large audience with this kind of initiatives. In supermarkets in Spain, some customers were turning American products upside down to show other customers that it concerns a product from the States. A survey among French shoppers found that up to 70% of said they would look to replace American products with French or EU alternatives when buying groceries. In a poll of 2,000 UK consumers, more than half (52%) said they were less likely to buy American products now than 12 months ago.
Salling Group, the largest supermarket group in Denmark, was quick to introduce a new label for European products. The retailer wants to respond to customers who want to buy “local” and avoid American products. Its banners Bilka, føtex and Netto indicate with an asterisk on the electronic price label when the brand is owned by a European company. Meanwhile, Lidl introduced a new Danish private label brand called Madværket for a wide selection of Danish-produced foods.
Some retail experts say that there is an easy way for customers to buy what is almost certainly a European product: Buy private label. Supermarket own brands are owned by the chain and largely produced in Europe. Other experts warn against an escalation and point to the fact that labels on products should benefit the consumer, who is already bombarded with information. Time will tell whether the “Buy European” movement will gain traction.
