Archive · 7 Sep 2026
Canadian Consumers Continue U.S. Boycotts Amid Tariff Dispute
Some Canadians are buying fewer products from the United States.
This is connected to disagreements over U.S. tariffs and other actions.
A professor said the change is affecting trade.
In April 2025, Canada bought 10.8% less from the United States than before.
Canada bought 8.3% more from other countries during that month.
The move away from American products has continued.
It is unclear whether consumers, provincial alcohol stores, or retailers caused the biggest part of the change.
The professor said all three factors may be involved.
Canada’s pullback from U.S. products is having a measurable effect, according to David Ortega of Michigan State University.
Canada’s official trade data showed imports from the United States fell 10.8% in April 2025.
Imports from countries other than the United States increased 8.3% during the same month.
Ortega said the shift away from U.S. sourcing has continued beyond April.
The impact may reflect consumer boycotts, provincial alcohol delistings, and retailers’ sourcing decisions, making the effect of each factor difficult to measure.
- Who
- Canadian consumers, retailers, provincial alcohol sellers, and David Ortega, a food economics and policy professor at Michigan State University.
- What
- Canada’s imports from the United States declined while imports from other countries increased, amid a pullback from U.S. products.
- When
- April 2025, with the shift described as continuing afterward.
- Where
- Canada and the United States.
- Why
- The pullback may be linked to consumer boycotts over U.S. tariffs, provincial alcohol delistings, and retailers’ sourcing decisions.
- U.S. import change
- Imports from the United States fell 10.8% in April 2025.
- Other-country imports
- Imports from countries other than the United States increased 8.3% in April 2025.
- Reported impact
- David Ortega said Canada’s pullback from U.S. products is having a real effect.
- Possible factors
- Consumer boycotts, provincial alcohol delistings, and retailer sourcing decisions.
- Measurement challenge
- It is difficult to determine how much each factor contributed.
- Trend
- The shift away from U.S. sourcing has persisted.