How digital platforms and trade tensions are reshaping the State’s commercial landscape

by Compass Vermont

Vermont’s marketplace is experiencing an unprecedented wave of consumer activism as residents increasingly use digital tools to research the political affiliations of local business owners before deciding where to spend their money. The phenomenon, playing out primarily on social media platforms and through online directories, is creating what some describe as a fundamental shift in how Vermonters think about commerce and community.

At the same time, Vermont businesses face a separate challenge from the north: Canadian consumers are avoiding American products in response to federal trade policy tensions, creating what state officials describe as a serious threat to the state’s economy.

The Digital Tools Driving Consumer Research

Vermont consumers are turning to several platforms to identify businesses associated with specific political movements. Reddit threads on r/vermont, r/burlington, and other Vermont-focused forums have become repositories for sharing information about business owners’ political signage, social media posts, and campaign contributions.

One unexpected tool emerged from PublicSquare, a marketplace designed to connect conservative consumers with businesses that share their values. While the platform was intended to help MAGA supporters find like-minded businesses, some Vermont residents report using it for the opposite purpose—to identify businesses they wish to avoid. The platform requires businesses to undergo vetting and, in some cases, sign pledges affirming specific political values.

Other tools being used include OpenSecrets.org for tracking federal campaign contributions, the “Goods Unite Us” app for researching corporate political donations, and various local Facebook pages where residents share observations about business owners’ social media activity.

Local Flashpoints Across Vermont

Northfield Controversy

A controversy in Northfield centered on Bean’s Creemees, a small establishment located within an auto shop. The business came under scrutiny when the owner was identified on the “Northfield Uncensored” Facebook page as posting content that community members found objectionable, including racial slurs and transphobic rhetoric alongside promotional material for the business.

The response included a musician canceling a scheduled performance, activists contacting vendors with screenshots of the posts, and protests organized during the town’s Labor Day car show.

Randolph Questions About Financial Connections

In Randolph, discussions have focused on more complex questions about financial relationships. The My Place Hotel project became a topic of conversation because of reported funding connections to prominent local Trump supporters who also own other area entities including Rain or Shine and Compucount.

The conversations reveal tensions in how residents think about these issues: Should a business be avoided if the owner is apolitical but employs vocal political supporters? Does it matter where profits ultimately flow?

Chester and Windsor County GOP Leadership

In Chester, businesses associated with Windsor County GOP leadership have been identified by those organizing boycotts. Spaulding’s Garage, operated by Windsor County GOP Chair Roy Spaulding, and Benny’s Powersports have both been named in online discussions. The Fullerton Inn has also been identified due to MAGA-aligned social and political activity at the venue.

Burlington Area Professional Services

In the Burlington area and greater Chittenden County, attention has focused on professional services and skilled trades listed on conservative-friendly directories, including moving companies, hair removal services, contractors, flooring installers, and at least one dairy.

Immigration Enforcement and “ICE Out” Movement

A separate stream of consumer activism focuses on businesses perceived to be cooperating with or profiting from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. Activists have compiled lists of businesses and facilities they believe are either contracting with ICE or facilitating their operations, including regional gas stations and motels that may provide services to ICE agents during operations.

The organization Abraxas has faced criticism for contracting with ICE to provide facilities for detained immigrant children. Some activists have also targeted Wilcox Ice Cream due to perceived alignments.

Milk with Dignity Campaign

A more structured form of economic pressure comes from the “Milk with Dignity” program led by Migrant Justice, which asks dairy companies to commit to specific labor standards for migrant workers. Ben & Jerry’s joined the program in 2017, while Hannaford Supermarkets has been the target of sustained protests. Activists claim that Hannaford’s parent company, Dutch-based Ahold Delhaize, has overseen labor violations in its dairy supply chain and resisted joining the program despite evidence of workers making less than minimum wage and suffering injuries.

Canadian Boycotts Hit Vermont Businesses

While Vermont consumers debate domestic boycotts, Vermont businesses face boycotts from Canadian consumers responding to federal trade policy tensions. Canada is Vermont’s largest international trading partner and a primary source of tourism revenue.

Skida, a Vermont headwear company, reported drops in business from Canadian website customers who cited tariff threats as their reason for boycotting U.S. brands. Bivo, which makes stainless steel bottles, experienced retail cancellations in British Columbia, with one retailer explicitly stating: “With Trump’s embargo we will no longer be buying US products.”

Vermont’s chief economist has described the trade tensions as “a costly unforced error,” noting that passenger vehicle crossings and cross-border traffic have declined significantly. The state’s meals and rooms tax revenue is running below targets, creating budgetary pressure on Vermont’s education fund.

Commerce Secretary Lindsay Kurrle has engaged in emergency negotiations with Canadian officials to prevent permanent removal of Vermont-made spirits and goods from Canadian shelves.

Municipal Responses and Procurement Policies

Several Vermont towns used Town Meeting Day 2025 to approve “apartheid-free” pledges and human rights-based procurement policies. Thetford, Brattleboro, Newfane, Winooski, and Plainfield voted to cut economic ties with companies perceived to be facilitating human rights abuses. These policies often include a “human rights impact” consideration for town purchases exceeding $100,000 to $200,000.

Critics, including the Shalom Alliance, argue that these municipal boycotts promote misinformation and that small towns lack resources to accurately vet international corporations.

Legal Questions About Boycotts

Vermont’s municipal boycotts enter a complex legal landscape. At the federal level and in many states, “Anti-BDS” (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) laws have been passed that penalize entities that boycott U.S. allies. Legal experts note that these laws are now being used as templates to prohibit boycotts of the fossil fuel, firearms, and ammunition industries.

There is ongoing debate about whether boycotts constitute protected political expression or unlawful commercial discrimination. The Supreme Court’s NAACP v. Claiborne Hardware Co. decision established the right to boycott for political goals, but newer laws attempt to classify such actions differently.

The Vermont Attorney General’s Office focuses on enforcing non-discrimination laws, particularly regarding gender identity and civil rights, while also maintaining responsibility for antitrust enforcement to ensure fair competition.

Community Divisions Over “Freedom and Unity”

Vermont residents express sharply different views about these boycott movements. Supporters argue that choosing where to spend money based on values is a legitimate form of civic participation and that neutrality in the face of policies they view as harmful constitutes complicity. They contend that businesses that voluntarily publicize their political affiliations are inviting market-based responses.

Critics argue that politicizing every commercial transaction damages community cohesion and that rural Vermont’s culture of mutual aid—where neighbors help each other regardless of political differences—is essential for community survival. They worry that intense focus on political vetting will leave everyone more vulnerable and isolated.

Some community leaders advocate for “buycotting”—intentionally supporting businesses owned by marginalized communities—as a more constructive alternative to boycotts. This approach emphasizes directing spending toward immigrant-owned businesses and others who may be economically vulnerable, framing the effort as community support rather than opposition.

What Happens Next

Vermont businesses now navigate an environment where political visibility carries financial risk. Those that openly align with particular movements face potential loss of patronage from customers who disagree, while those that rely on Canadian markets or materials find themselves caught in federal trade policy disputes with limited recourse.

The state faces significant economic pressure from multiple directions: declining cross-border traffic from Canada, reduced meals and rooms tax revenue, and the potential for further erosion of tourism income. State officials continue working to mitigate damage from trade tensions while municipalities develop frameworks for values-based procurement.

The reliability and fairness of digital vetting tools remain contested. Some businesses may appear on political directories without full awareness of the implications, while others may be targeted based on individual employees’ actions rather than ownership’s positions. Questions about whether organized boycott lists could eventually raise legal concerns about anticompetitive activity or consumer protection remain unresolved.

For Vermont residents, the fundamental question persists: How does a community balance the right to make informed consumer choices based on values with the practical and social benefits of maintaining economic relationships across political divides? The answer will shape not just the state’s economy, but its social fabric for years to come.