Over half of UK consumers say they’re more likely to buy from British websites.
The recent decision by US President Donald Trump to impose so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs on British exports appears to have sparked a patriotic reaction among UK consumers, according to new research from the nation’s official domain name authority.
Nominet, the body responsible for managing the .UK web registry since 1996, has reported increased interest in buying British following the shift in US trade policy.
A new survey of 2,000 adults in the UK, carried out by the organisation that manages over ten million domain names, revealed that 49% of respondents would be more inclined to buy British goods as a result of America’s decision to introduce tariffs on UK imports.
Just 14% said the new tariffs would not affect their purchasing habits, while 37% expressed uncertainty about whether they would change their buying preferences.
Support for British-made products was especially high among those aged 55 and over. People living in the North East and West Midlands were also more likely than others to say the tariffs would influence their shopping behaviour.
Overall, 64% of those polled said they now feel a stronger sense of pride in buying British, while only 13% reported no change in their sentiments. A further 23% remained unsure about how they felt.
The survey also found that 54% of respondents consider UK-specific website addresses – like .co.uk or .uk – when deciding where to shop online. This sentiment was most prevalent among older consumers, particularly in the South East and Scotland.
David Carroll, Chief Customer Officer at Nominet, said:
“We’ve seen a Trump bump of our own in terms of online searches for UK domain names over the last week or so. With pride returning to buying British – it looks like a growing number of businesses and individuals are looking at registering a UK web address to join the 10m already registered.
“Choosing a .UK domain name has always been a conscious decision for many online businesses, but with a growing sense of pride in buying British – now may be the time for many UK businesses to tap into this feeling.”
Google search trends reveal that interest in UK-based domains surged immediately after President Trump’s announcement. In fact, searches for “co.uk” have reached their highest levels since February 2024.
