Recent diplomatic tensions have flared between Denmark and the United States in light of President Donald Trump’s outrageous suggestion that Denmark sell Greenland. In answer to this, Danish consumers are turning to technology to make boycotting American goods easier and more effective. In March, Danish entrepreneur Ian Rosenfeldt released the Made O’Meter app so everyone can join in. This crowdsourced, innovative tool allows users to force U.S. companies to stop producing these kinds of products. Since then, the app has received incredible grassroots organizational uptake, surpassing over 100,000 downloads. It’s now an indispensable resource for anyone interested in promoting European producers.
Our Made O’Meter App became the unexpected center of attention during an early 2023 spike in diplomatic tensions in late January. In the first three days alone, the app reached almost 30,000 downloads. On January 21, members scanned an incredible 526 products in just one minute. In just under a week, by January 23, usage had jumped to almost 40,000 product scans in a day! Today, with more than 20,000 active users in Denmark, the app has become indispensable. Yet its influence extends even beyond the country’s borders, quickly garnering users in Germany, Spain, Italy and as far away as Venezuela.
Functionality of Made O’Meter
The new Made O’Meter mobile app, powered by artificial intelligence, takes shopping for American-made products to the next level. It recommends promising, comparable alternatives that are made in Europe. Users can customize high-level preferences, such as “No USA-owned brands” or “Only EU-based brands.” In doing so, they can create a shopping experience that is more directly aligned with their values.
This new technology gives consumers the ability to shop with their values in mind. That’s more important than ever today, with consumers increasingly concerned about the source of their products. Users have told us that they want to help their local economies and deliver a signal to supermarkets about what they want. Rosenfeldt noted that many felt frustrated and sought practical methods for enacting change:
“By using artificial intelligence, you can take an image of a product … and it can make a deep dive to go out and find the correct information about the product in many levels.” – Ian Rosenfeldt
The app puts some real power in the hands of individual consumers. It represents a deeper grassroots movement among Danes who are looking to take back their consumer power. As Rosenfeldt put it:
“Many people were frustrated and thinking, ‘How do we actually do this in practical terms?’” – Ian Rosenfeldt
The launch of the Made O’Meter coincided with a growing interest in boycotting American goods following Trump’s remarks about Greenland, which many Danes viewed as disrespectful. That diplomatic fallout sent downloads for Rosenfeldt’s app through the roof. In fact, by early February the other similar application, NonUSA, had passed 100,000 downloads.
“Maybe we can send a signal and people will listen and we can make a change.” – Ian Rosenfeldt
Increased Interest in Boycotts
Jonas Pipper, a spokesperson for the movement, remarked on how consumers have felt empowered through these efforts:
Boycotts, even those inspired by strong moral sentiments, are rarely successful in the long run unless they’re part of a broader, more nimble, coordinated movement, experts warn. Professor Gravert, an associate professor of economics, pointed out that real change typically requires more than individual actions:
“They feel like they kind of gained the power back in this situation.” – Jonas Pipper
He added that while boycotts can influence large companies’ import decisions, they often need to be supported by strategic planning to achieve lasting results.
“If you really want to have an impact, that’s where you should start.” – Professor Gravert
As you can tell, these hurdles are significant but many users are determined to stick with the boycott and continue to work with the Made O’Meter app. Just last week, the app logged about 5,000 scans a day. Consumers are very much in tune with the power they have with their dollars. They are not just excited to have it passively—but actively.
“OK, we’re not going to carry these products anymore because consumers don’t want to buy them.” – Professor Gravert
Consumer Sentiment and Future Implications
Morten Nielsen, a user of the app, reflected on the challenges of identifying all American goods:
This sentiment is reflected across much of the Danish public who wish to make more conscious choices but find a lack of awareness on products an obstacle. Rosenfeldt emphasized that understanding product origins is crucial:
“We do boycott, but we don’t know all the American goods. So, it’s mostly the well-known trademarks.” – Morten Nielsen
No longer a simple reaction to the political moment, the boycott has transformed into an organizing and personal mission for many. As Rosenfeldt stated:
“And if you don’t know that, you can’t really make a conscious choice.” – Ian Rosenfeldt
The boycott has grown beyond a mere reaction to political events; it has become a personal mission for many. As Rosenfeldt stated:
“It’s a personal feeling … we feel we do something; I know we are not doing very much.” – Ian Rosenfeldt
