Elected official calls on Swiss to boycott American products

The 39% tariffs imposed on Switzerland by the United States have made National Councilor Reto Nause (C/BE) see red, calling for alternatives to American products. "I will radically rethink my purchasing decisions. Perhaps the mass of Swiss consumers can trigger a reaction," he said in a message Thursday on the social network X... itself entirely American. He explained in "Schweiz am Wochenende" this Saturday that, for example, "I'm addicted to the iPhone, but the next time I buy a phone, I'll look for another brand."

He didn't invent anything new. After the first tariff announcements, calls for boycotts were launched here and there around the world. Since the final decisions, some have been particularly strong in India, a country hit by 50% tariffs. The country where a boycott has been widely followed is Canada, again in the context of the trade war. But online, more citizens around the world are calling for a boycott of the United States because of American support for Israel than because of the customs decisions.

As the German-speaking newspaper recalled on Saturday, "Galaxus" had surveyed its customers about the possibility of a boycott. "In May, more than 60% wanted to bet on European products in response to the punitive American customs duties," the company noted at the time. A month later, it analyzed its sales. The share of products sold that were American brands had fallen from 18.3% to... 17.5%. "Just words, just words," "Galaxus" quipped.

Switzerland is a tiny country, and even if a boycott were widely followed, it probably wouldn't rattle Donald Trump. Especially since, as "Galaxus" pointed out, what's American? In its analysis, the company took into account the brands' headquarters. Giving up Apple or Nike products is fine, but of course, they're not made in the United States. Boycotting a country in a globalized economy is no easy task.