Danish consumers have initiated a boycott of Coca-Cola, as reported by Carlsberg—the Danish brewing company that bottles the US brand locally—citing protests against US foreign policy under President Donald Trump as the driving force behind the consumer movement. This boycott is notably impacting the Danish market and is reflected in Carlsberg’s first-quarter sales results.
Jacob Aarup-Andersen, Carlsberg’s chief executive, revealed that “Our Coca-Cola volumes are slightly down in Denmark,” further explaining that “there is a level of consumer boycott around the US brands . . . and it’s the only market where we’re seeing that to a large extent.” The boycott appears to be rooted in Danish public displeasure with several actions and statements from the Trump administration, particularly the US president’s repeated threats to forcibly acquire Greenland, a Danish territory. Moreover, criticism from US officials, including Vice-President JD Vance’s accusation that Denmark is not a “good ally,” has exacerbated tensions. This criticism comes despite Denmark’s sustained military contributions alongside US forces in conflict zones such as Afghanistan, where Danish troops suffered casualties proportionally comparable to those of the US.
“Danes are pissed off. They remember those Danish soldiers’ bodies coming home, and now they feel disrespected. You can see why calls for a boycott [of US goods] would be popular,” a Danish official told the Financial Times last month, highlighting the emotional and patriotic underpinnings of the consumer reaction.
Aarup-Andersen noted that the boycott has allowed smaller local brands to gain market share at the expense of US brands, but he emphasised that the overall sales impact remains “not dramatic.” He reiterated Carlsberg’s neutral stance, stating, “We fully respect people’s decisions,” while also pointing out that Coca-Cola and Pepsi products bottled in Denmark are produced by Danish brewery workers, making them, in effect, “very much, from our perspective, also Danish brands.”
The boycott has notably boosted sales of Jolly Cola, a domestic soft drink brand. For instance, supermarket chain Rema reported that sales of Jolly Cola increased thirteenfold year-on-year in March, illustrating a clear consumer shift towards homegrown products. Similar sentiments and consumer actions have also occurred in Canada, where anger over US tariffs and annexation threats has led to boycotts of some American goods.
Historically, Coca-Cola has been a target of consumer boycotts linked to geopolitical events. For example, sales of the beverage declined significantly in majority-Muslim countries following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict, highlighting how political tensions can influence consumer behaviour globally.
Carlsberg’s wider financial update revealed a 2.3 per cent drop in organic sales volumes for the first quarter of the year, which was somewhat offset by a 17.4 per cent increase in global sales to 20.1 billion Danish kroner (£2.3 billion), largely driven by its acquisition of Britvic, a UK-based soft drinks company. Sales of Pepsi Max, which Carlsberg bottles and distributes across Europe (excluding Denmark), showed growth in all markets, indicating the boycott's geographic limitation to Denmark alone.
Meanwhile, Coca-Cola reported a 2 per cent decline in net revenues in the first quarter, amounting to $11.1 billion. The company acknowledged challenges arising from "global trade dynamics" but expressed confidence that the situation would remain manageable throughout the year.
The Financial Times is reporting these developments in the context of ongoing geopolitical tensions affecting consumer markets and brand performance in Denmark and beyond.
Source: Noah Wire Services