A survey of US attitudes toward international products indicates that consumer sentiment is divided on whether to boycott goods associated with countries that publicly opposed US policy in Iraq. The Trade Winds II survey of 1,000 adults found a growing number of Americans expressed scepticism about "punishing" foreign companies for their countries stance on the war.
However, while French and German companies may be tempted to take solace in the fact that a growing number of Americans now say they are less likely to participate in boycotts, the survey also found the number of boycott-inclined consumers to be increasing. "Attitudes toward French, German, and Canadian brands have hardened in the three weeks since the first Trade Winds survey," said Philip Diehl of Fleishman Hilliard, which conducted the survey with Wirthlin Worldwide. The survey was conducted on 8-12 April, three weeks after an initial survey on the same issue. But many Americans also expressed concern that boycotts will backfire on US business. Almost 60pc of respondents said they were worried that boycotts will hurt US employees of foreign-owned companies and employees of their US suppliers.// www.fxcentre.com