Looking to choose sustainability over the madness of Black Friday sales?
Escape the madness of flash sales and limited time offers, and take a moment to BREATHE. Black Friday isn’t always the best or most sustainable way to shop, so we’re here to share some alternatives.
It is very easy to get sucked into the Black Friday deals, it’s something that tempts us all – trust us, we’ve been there and done that. Black Friday is a great opportunity to get affordable gifts in time for Christmas, but the pressure to get deals can mean we spend more than we intended on things that we don’t need.
To add to that, research shows that the environmental stress this day causes on our planet is dangerous, but there are lots of sustainable alternatives which are just as good as a Black Friday deal, and would help to reduce our carbon footprint. We are here to help with some much-needed info on the environmental impacts of Black Friday, but also some alternatives to ensure shopping stays fun and sustainable.
Environmental Impacts of Black Friday:
- Waste– In the UK, in 2023, shoppers spent £3 billion during the Black Friday sales however out of that, 80% of items bought end up in a landfill (Good Energy). This amount of waste can be avoided by simply not indulging in items that we realistically have no need for.
- Our Emissions Impact– In 2020 it was estimated by Money.co.uk that there was 429,000 tonnes of carbon produced, this is equivalent to 435 RETURN flights from London to New York, just from Black Friday alone. This rate of carbon emissions is causing an immense amount of strain on our environmental impact… and this can be avoided by not taking part in the Black Friday madness.
So, you must be thinking… what could possibly be better than those Black Friday deals while also helping the environment?
Well, there are many alternatives so let’s jump right in:
- Good as new– Refurbished tech products are always a good alternative. You can find refurbished products that are as good as new at a fraction of the price of buying brand new (even in the sales). Websites such as Backmarket, Raylo and Music Magpie offer Black Friday deals, whilst being sustainable options for buying tech.
- Love pre-loved– Thrifting any pre-loved items is a great way to shop sustainably. This keeps you away from the crowds of Black Friday and creates a fun shopping experience. You never know what you may find but there are always brilliant bargains to be found when shopping pre-loved.
- Eco-conscious brands– A lot of companies are now opting to join the Green Friday movement which was created to spread awareness of the negative impacts of society’s shopping habits (Thooja). Some companies that participate in this movement include; Ikea, TenTree and Armani Beauty. By shopping at places that support this movement, we get the best of both worlds… deals whilst also supporting sustainability.
- Shop local– by visiting our local high streets and giving thrifting a go, we reduce the emissions that would be produced on this day by the delivery trucks, which produce 94% more CO2 on Black Friday than any other week (Green Match).
This last point is close to our heart – the advantage of using a platform like Uniformd is that there are no delivery fees and any vehicle emissions involved in picking up at the school gates is a trip you’d be making anyway.
At Uniformd, we are all about sustainability and we take pride in loving all things pre-loved. You can always check out our website to find out if your school has any second-hand items that you can pick up directly from your kid’s school.
