As trade tensions between the United States and Canada reach the consumer shelf, Americans say they are willing to reconsider some of the products they buy. But the latest Leger research suggests that tariffs alone are unlikely to trigger widespread switching.
Those who do consider switching are looking first at price and quality, with American-made products providing an additional reason to reconsider, but not a substitute for value.
Are Americans changing what they buy because of trade tensions?
Not broadly. Nearly half of Americans, 46%, say they do not plan to change what they buy.
For those who do expect to adjust their behaviour, the changes are more likely to involve how they shop than a complete change in what they buy. Twenty-seven percent say they will look more actively for products made in the USA, while 21% expect to look more actively for promotions or sales.
More substantial shifts are less common. Just 17% say they will switch to less expensive products or brands regardless of where they are made, while only 5% plan to switch from Canadian products or brands they normally buy to American alternatives. Seven percent of Americans say they will avoid products made in Canada.
The pattern suggests that trade tensions can create consideration, but consideration does not automatically become behaviour. Existing habits remain an important anchor, particularly when consumers are not facing a meaningful price difference.
What happens when tariffs make Canadian products more expensive?
A tariff-related price increase creates more room for switching, but no single response dominates.
When asked to imagine a Canadian product becoming more expensive because of tariffs, 23% of Americans say they would look for an American-made alternative. Another 19% would switch to whichever comparable product offers the best value, regardless of where it is made, while 18% would continue buying a product because they prefer or trust it. A further 16% would continue buying it unless the price increase became too large.
The willingness to consider an American-made alternative is relatively broad across categories:
- Food and beverages: 68%
- Clothing and footwear: 67%
- Household cleaning: 67%
- OTC health and wellness: 66%
- Personal care: 66%
- Cosmetics and beauty: 62%
- Pet food and pet care: 62%
- Baby and children’s products: 58%
Rather than one category standing clearly apart, the results point to a distributed switching opportunity across everyday consumer packaged goods.
For brands operating across multiple categories: tariff-related switching is not concentrated in a single product area, and consumer response appears to depend at least as much on the value proposition as on the category itself.
What matters most when Americans choose a “Made in the USA” product?
Price and product quality matter considerably more than where the product is made.
For Americans considering a switch to an American-made product, the decision still comes down largely to value. Price is the leading influence at 70%, followed by product quality at 62%. By comparison, 23% point to “Made in the USA” as a top consideration, suggesting that domestic origin can help get a product into the consideration set.
There is a clear limit to how much consumers are willing to pay for domestic origin. 16% say they would pay any premium for an American-made alternative, while 53% would choose it only if it cost the same or less.
Although “Made in the USA” can give shoppers a reason to reconsider a familiar product, competitive pricing and credible quality remain the biggest triggers for a switch.
Older Americans place greater importance on “Made in the USA,” while men tend to weigh product quality more heavily and women place relatively more emphasis on availability. Region also plays a role, with switching likelihood generally higher in the West and lower in the Northeast across several major categories.
What do tarrifs mean for consumer brands?
The research points to a fairly consistent decision path: trade tensions create a reason to reconsider, but value determines whether consumers actually make the switch.
For brands, that makes price and quality particularly important at the point of conversion. A U.S. origin story may strengthen the proposition, especially among some audiences, but the data suggest that it works best alongside a competitive price, credible product performance and established brand trust.
This is particularly relevant as the Canada-U.S. trade environment continues to evolve. The Leger survey was conducted August 28–30, before Canada’s September 8, 2026 counter-tariffs on specified U.S.-origin goods.
The U.S. Department of Commerce reported that those measures include categories such as appliances, apparel and personal care products, among others. That timing is important: the findings provide a snapshot of intended consumer behaviour just before the latest measures took effect, rather than a measurement of their eventual impact.
For marketers and retailers, the takeaway is therefore less about assuming a wholesale shift toward domestic products and more about understanding which combination of price, quality, origin and brand equity can motivate consumers to reconsider what is already in their basket.
Methodology
Online survey conducted among 1,008 Americans aged 18 and over, randomly recruited from Leger’s LEO online panel, from August 28 to 30, 2026. Statistical significance was tested at the 95% confidence level. Percentages are rounded and may not sum to 100%.
