A year ago, 78 percent of U.S. consumers said they would rather buy an American-made product than an imported one. According to a new study, an entirely different sentiment exists today.
The Associated Press and market research firm GfK polled more than 1,000 Americans aged 18 and older Mar. 31-Apr. 1 on topics ranging from healthcare to ISIS and discovered that 71 percent said they would like to buy items made in the U.S. but high prices and limited availability prevent them from doing so.
Moreover, only 9 percent said they buy American-made goods, even if they cost more or are more difficult to find, while 17 percent were indifferent.
When those surveyed were asked what they would do if they had the option to purchase $50 pants made overseas or an $85 pair made in the U.S., 67 percent said they would choose the cheaper of the two.
Despite much mudslinging from the presidential candidates over the Trans-Pacific Partnership, more respondents said free trade agreements with other countries don’t make much of a difference to (37 percent) or are good for (33 percent) the American economy than those who said they were bad (27 percent).
But while nearly half (46 percent) said these deals decrease the number of jobs available to American workers, 40 percent said they don’t make much of a difference and 48 percent said they don’t really impact wages here. Additionally, 81 percent said they don’t personally have a close friend or relative who lost a job because it was moved overseas.