The recent tensions surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland have sparked a noteworthy rise in the popularity of mobile applications in Denmark that aid consumers in identifying and boycotting American products.
Ian Rosenfeldt, the developer behind the Made O’Meter app, has reported a dramatic increase in downloads, with approximately 30,000 people downloading the free application within just three days during the peak of this diplomatic crisis at the end of January. Since its launch in March, the app has garnered over 100,000 downloads.
These apps provide practical tools for users. Rosenfeldt, who resides in Copenhagen and works in digital marketing, was inspired to create this application after joining a Facebook group comprised of fellow Danes interested in boycotting American goods. He reflected on the widespread frustration among his peers, saying, "Many people were frustrated and thinking, 'How do we actually do this in practical terms?'" The challenge, Rosenfeldt noted, lies in the difficulty of using barcode scanners to determine whether a product is American or Danish. Without knowing this information, consumers struggle to make informed choices.
The latest iteration of the Made O’Meter app employs artificial intelligence to analyze multiple products simultaneously, suggesting similar alternatives made in Europe. Users can customize their preferences, such as opting for "No USA-owned brands" or "Only EU-based brands." According to Rosenfeldt, the app boasts a remarkable accuracy rate of over 95%.
During a demonstration at a grocery store in Copenhagen, he explained, "By using artificial intelligence, you can take an image of a product… and it can perform an in-depth search to gather accurate information about the product on several levels. This way, you have the information necessary to make decisions based on your values."
After an initial surge in downloads following the app's release, interest had waned until last month when Trump intensified his rhetoric regarding the United States' desire to acquire Greenland—an island rich in minerals and strategically significant, currently a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark.
On January 23, the app experienced a peak, with nearly 40,000 scans occurring in a single day, a stark contrast to the mere 500 scans daily seen during the previous summer. Although activity has decreased since then, around 5,000 scans per day were still reported this week. Rosenfeldt highlighted that Made O’Meter is utilized by over 20,000 individuals in Denmark, as well as users from countries like Germany, Spain, Italy, and even Venezuela.
Rosenfeldt articulated a more personal sentiment about the situation, describing it as feeling like "losing an ally and a friend."
In January, Trump announced new tariffs on Denmark and several other European nations that opposed his takeover plans, only to retract his threats after indicating a "framework" for negotiations over access to Greenland's resources, aided by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. However, specific details regarding this agreement remain sparse.
Meanwhile, the U.S. initiated technical discussions in late January to forge an Arctic security agreement with Denmark and Greenland, both of which maintain that sovereignty is non-negotiable.
Rosenfeldt acknowledges that while such boycotts may not significantly impact the U.S. economy, they could convey a message to supermarkets and promote a greater reliance on European-made goods. He expressed hope that consumer actions might catalyze change, stating, "Maybe we can send a signal, and people will listen and we can make a change."
Another Danish app, NonUSA, also saw significant success, surpassing 100,000 downloads by early February. One of its developers, 21-year-old Jonas Pipper, noted that the app recorded over 25,000 downloads on January 21 alone, with one minute seeing an impressive 526 product scans. Of its users, approximately 46,000 are in Denmark, alongside around 10,000 from Germany.
Pipper shared insights from users expressing relief, saying, "They felt like a little bit of the pressure was lifted off them. They feel like they kind of gained the power back in this situation.”
However, the actual impact of these applications remains debatable. Christina Gravert, an associate professor of economics at the University of Copenhagen, pointed out that the presence of U.S. products on Danish grocery store shelves is relatively minimal, accounting for only about 1 to 3% of available items—such as nuts, wines, and candy. In contrast, there is significant use of American technology in Denmark, including popular products like Apple iPhones and Microsoft Office software.
She commented, "If you really want to have an impact, that’s where you should start." Notably, both Made O’Meter and NonUSA are available to download from major platforms like Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store.
Gravert, who specializes in behavioral economics, remarked that such boycott campaigns tend to be fleeting and that meaningful change often necessitates a coordinated effort rather than isolated consumer actions. "It can be interesting for large supermarket chains to decide, okay, we’re going to stop carrying these products because consumers don’t want to buy them," she said. "For large corporations, this might influence their import activities."
On a recent morning, shoppers exiting a Copenhagen grocery store exhibited a range of opinions on the boycotting trend. Morten Nielsen, a 68-year-old retired navy officer, stated, "We do boycott, but we don’t know all the American goods. So, it’s mostly the well-known trademarks. It’s a personal feeling…we feel we do something, although I know we are not doing very much."
Conversely, Charlotte Fuglsang, a 63-year-old retiree, expressed a markedly different view: "I love America, I love traveling in America. I don’t think we should protest that way."
This divergence in perspectives raises questions about the effectiveness and motivations behind consumer boycotts, inviting readers to ponder: Do individual actions truly lead to larger changes, or are they merely symbolic gestures? What are your thoughts on the impact of such boycotts? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments.
