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A recent survey of Canadians found that even if no tariffs are ultimately levied by the U.S., 43% are still likely to avoid purchasing U.S. products and 40% would avoid U.S.-owned retailers.
The survey of 5,000 Canadian adults from Numerator comes as several other surveys also show that pushes to buy Canadian products and boycott U.S. ones have continued to mount since President Donald Trump at the start of February ramped up his threats to slap a 25% tariff on both Canada and Mexico.
The tariffs threaten to drive hyper-inflation and wreck Canada’s economy, and Trump’s threat — even if a joke — to annex Canada and make it the “51st state” has also particularly rankled Canadians.
According to Numerator’s survey, 61% of Canadian consumers are either very likely or somewhat likely to seek out Canadian-made goods in light of potential tariffs. The shift in purchasing priorities is particularly notable in discretionary categories such as candy and chocolate, snack foods, and alcoholic beverages. A significant 53% of Canadians also indicated they are either very or somewhat likely to avoid shopping at retailers owned by U.S. companies.
A different survey of 3,310 Canadian adults from Angus Reid Institute taken from Feb. 16 to 18 found that more than four-in-five (85%) Canadians are planning to replace, or already have replaced, U.S. products with Canadian ones. Half (48%) are replacing as many as they can find substitutes for, while 37% are replacing those where they can find a similar price and quality.
Among targeted U.S. firms affected, two-in-five (41%) are planning to decrease, or stop, their usage of Amazon, while one-in-five intend to cancel streaming services such as Amazon Prime, Netflix, or Disney+.
A KPMG survey of 1,934 Canadian adults from Feb. 12 to 25 found that, should the U.S. tariffs arrive, 70% are planning to boycott U.S. products and 68% think grocery stores should stop selling U.S. products and produce. Of the respondents, 77% expressed a willingness to purchase Canadian-made products even at a higher price. Meanwhile, 80% said they are actively seeking alternatives to U.S. goods — opting for options from other countries, such as choosing Peruvian fruit over U.S.-grown produce when a Canadian alternative isn't available.
KPMG’s survey still found affordability remains a top concern, however, as 86% are worried Canada will slide into a recession, and 90% think governments should lower the cost of everyday essentials, like food and gas, by reducing taxes or providing tax credits to help consumers through a tariff war.
“While it’s clear Canadians will pay extra to support the home team, the impact of the rising cost of essentials is also top of mind for many,” said Kostya Polyakov, partner and National Consumer and Retail Leader at KPMG in Canada. “With consumers strongly expecting to see their grocery bills go up, they plan to cut back on non-essential spending, which could hit sectors like dining and entertainment hard.”
Amid the threat of the trade war, some grocery stores have started to label which items are made by Canadian producers with a Canadian flag next to their price tags. In Canada’s most populous province of Ontario, the purchasing and sale of U.S.-made alcohol is being restricted.
In February, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau encouraged Canada to steer away from buying U.S.-made products, singling out Florida orange juice and Kentucky bourbon specifically.
Canadian provinces are also seeking to lift some internal trade barriers to allow goods and workers to move more freely across the country.
Kenneth Wong, an associate professor at the business school at Queen’s University in Ontario, told The Guardian that the move to ease trader barriers could somewhat reduce Canada’s strong reliance on the U.S. He added, “And once that fully happens, tastes will change and habits will form. I’m not saying you can’t win back your consumer if you’re a U.S. firm, but I am saying it’s going to be a lot more expensive to do so.”
In the U.S., stock markets faced a sell-off this week largely linked to heightened uncertainty around the Trump administration’s new tariffs. On Tuesday, Trump’s 25% tariffs on Canada as well as Mexico went into effect, but by Thursday, they were again paused one month until April 2 — at least for goods that are covered by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).