A quarter of Belgians are buying fewer American products due to recent tensions with the United States, according to a survey by AG Insurance.
The survey, conducted between 30 January and 6 February among 1,000 respondents, found that 25.3% are reducing purchases of US brands, while 44.5% believe Belgian and European companies should invest less in the country.
Meanwhile, only 3.8% of participants said they are buying more American products. Regional differences were noted, with fewer purchases from 21.1% of respondents in northern Belgium compared to 30.6% in the south.
Investment in American assets has also dropped. Of respondents who have US investments, 23.6% said they’re reducing holdings in American stocks, 22.2% are cutting back investment in US funds or ETFs, and 27.7% are investing less in the dollar.
The survey revealed widespread concern about recent international events, with nine in ten Belgians voicing worry. Walloons were slightly more concerned (92.4%) than Flemish respondents (85.9%).
This concern is leading to cautious spending. Around 39% of Belgians report cutting back on non-essential purchases such as clothing, and 35.1% are reducing spending on holidays.
