A recent survey conducted by the Institute for Retail Research (IFH) reveals: US trade policy is causing uncertainty and restrained spending among German consumers. One in three refuses to buy US products. Fears of further price increases persist.
The latest tariff decisions made by US President Donald Trump are dominating current news coverage and are also having an impact on German consumers. A recent survey by ECC KÖLN, a subsidiary of the Institute for Retail Research (IFH KÖLN), examines how consumers view purchases of products from the United States. The result: Overall, the economic policies of the US government under Donald Trump are generating noticeable economic uncertainty among German consumers. Around two-thirds feel unsettled (65%) and more than half report feeling anxious (53%) when thinking about Donald Trump and the American government.
With its current 13th survey, the IFH regularly conducts representative polling to assess the consumer mood in Germany. For this thirteenth wave of the survey, 501 consumers were interviewed in March 2025 as part of a representative online poll about their shopping behaviour in the context of current crises, consumption trends, and consumer sentiment. In addition to the influence of Donald Trump’s trade policies, the survey focused on Asian platforms, potential competition from Amazon Haul, the stabilisation of online shopping behaviour, and the importance of financing options in consumer decision-making.
One in Three Consumers Rejects Buying US Products
The majority of consumers believe that products are becoming significantly more expensive due to US tariffs (78%) and assume that the global and German economic situation will continue to worsen (71%). Almost half of those surveyed also report a negative impact on their desire to consume due to this uncertainty (44%). Overall, consumers are planning to avoid American products more frequently in their purchasing decisions. Six in ten respondents stated that certain American products (e.g., Tesla) are no longer an option for them (61%). More than a third (36%) now even reject buying US products entirely.
Fears of Further Price Increases Persist
The latest US trade decisions reinforce the concerns consumers have had about price increases since last year. Rising prices still personally worry around two-thirds of consumers (2025: 61%; October 2024: 63%), and 53% fear they will soon no longer be able to maintain their standard of living. Although this represents a 10 percentage point drop compared to October 2024 (57%), nearly half (47%) still report using online channels more frequently due to easier price comparisons. Furthermore, almost three-quarters of those surveyed (72%) are still willing to accept longer delivery times if the product is cheaper as a result.
