U.S. President Donald Trump signs executive orders inside the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on January 20, 2025. AP Photo
One year after the “Buy Canadian” movement took hold, many Canadians still try to support local products and businesses whenever possible. The movement gained momentum after Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025 and spoke openly about harsh tariffs and even suggested Canada could become the 51st U.S. state.
Those comments sparked an immediate reaction. Many Canadians began avoiding American food, alcohol, travel, and online shopping. A year later, retail experts say the feeling remains strong, even as financial pressures make it harder for some families to follow through.
Strong Feelings, Tighter Wallets
Retail analyst Bruce Winder says many expected the movement to fade quickly, but that did not happen.
“Folks thought it would wane a little bit, sort of about a year ago after the trade dispute started, that it would sort of taper off after a few weeks or months,” Winder said. “But, according to all the research I’ve read, it’s still fairly strong.”
At the same time, Winder pointed out that rising costs have made buying Canadian more difficult for many households.
“One of the things that might be a little tougher, though, for people who want to buy Canadian is our economy right now,” he said. “Inflation’s a little high, wages haven’t kept up with rents (and) so for certain consumers, they might want to buy Canadian, but they might not be able to afford it.”
A Divided Retail Landscape
Winder described Canada’s retail market as split into two groups. Some higher-income shoppers continue to spend freely, while others search for lower prices at discount stores.
“That dictates what products, what retailers, what services, are doing well, versus which ones are struggling,” he said.
Grocery shopping became one of the clearest places where the Buy Canadian push showed results. Shoppers moved quickly toward Canadian-made food products, especially in the early days of the trade dispute.
“Food has been one of the bigger ones,” Winder said. He added that major Canadian retailers saw a noticeable boost when the movement began.
Support Extends Beyond Canada
The movement also found support overseas. Pierre Kiel, a German-Danish student, said many Europeans feel sympathy for Canadians facing U.S. pressure.
“We kind of feel like the Canadians and the Danes and also the Germans kind of have the same lingering sentiment against Trump,” Kiel said. “So internationally speaking, we all see how Canada gets impacted.”
Kiel said he chose not to study in the United States because of Trump’s policies. He also said the U.S. push to take over Greenland felt personal because of his Danish roots.
Changes in Booze and Travel Choices
Canadian buying habits shifted in alcohol sales as well. A survey by Nanos Research found nearly three-quarters of Canadians supported keeping U.S. liquor out of government-run stores.
Travel patterns changed too. Data from Statistics Canada showed fewer Canadians returned from trips to the United States in December, both by air and by car. Those declines marked a full year of lower travel compared to the year before.
