Danes avoid US products, using apps to scan and identify their origin

Following renewed tensions between Washington and Copenhagen over Greenland, more consumers in Denmark are choosing to avoid American products. To do so, they increasingly rely on mobile apps that reveal whether a product comes from the United States of America and recommend European alternatives.

One of the most widely used apps, Made O’Meter, saw a sharp surge in interest in late January. According to Mediafax, the app recorded around 30,000 downloads in just three days during the peak of the diplomatic dispute, pushing total downloads past 100,000 since its launch in March.

The app allows users to scan products with their phones to determine whether they are linked to US companies. As reported by Associated Press, the latest version uses artificial intelligence to analyze multiple items at once and claims an accuracy rate of over 95%.

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“This way, you have information you can use to make decisions about what you believe is right,” said Ian Rosenfeldt, the app’s developer. Usage peaked on January 23, with nearly 40,000 scans in a single day, compared with about 500 per day last summer. “It has become much more personal,” Rosenfeldt added, referring to the feeling that Denmark is “losing an ally and a friend” in the US.

More than 20,000 people use the app in Denmark, though users are also found in Germany, Spain, Italy, and even Venezuela. Rosenfeldt acknowledges that such efforts are unlikely to seriously impact the US economy, but hopes they can send a message to retailers and encourage European consumption.

Another Danish app, NonUSA, surpassed 100,000 downloads in early February. One of its creators said that over 25,000 downloads occurred in a single day, with users scanning hundreds of products per minute.

The real impact remains uncertain. Christina Gravert, associate professor of economics at the University of Copenhagen, notes that US products account for only 1–3% of items in Danish grocery stores, mostly nuts, wines, and sweets. Meanwhile, American technology—from iPhones to Microsoft software—remains deeply embedded. She argues that consumer-led boycotts tend to be short-lived, with lasting change more likely when large corporations are involved.

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