Why Black Friday Is Bad: Examining Its Environmental Impact

Black Friday, once a single-day shopping event, has morphed into a weeks-long frenzy of consumerism. This consumerism now spans across continents, with the UK embracing it wholeheartedly. Retailers slash prices, shoppers queue for hours, and online platforms crash under the weight of bargain hunters.

While shoppers chase deals, our environment is paying a hefty price. The environmental impact of Black Friday extends far beyond the visible chaos in stores and on websites. It touches every aspect of our ecosystem, from air quality to landfill capacity.

As consumers, we hold significant power. Our choices can perpetuate the overconsumption cycle or pave the way for more sustainable practices. Let's explore why Black Friday is bad for the environment and what we can do about it. 

Black Friday's allure lies in its promise of unbeatable deals. We're drawn to discounts like moths to a flame, ready to buy items we didn't even know we wanted until they were 30% off. These discounts drive our behaviour during sales seasons, with retailers capitalising on our weakness for a good bargain.

This has led to retailers employing psychological tricks to enhance perceived value. Price anchoring makes discounted prices appear more appealing by displaying higher original prices.

They also use loss aversion, creating a fear of missing out on deals. Countdown timers, limited stock alerts, and urgent messages like "Hurry, only 3 left!" are common tactics. Emotions play a significant role, too, with retailers using heartwarming commercials to evoke a sense of belonging and joy, tying these emotions to their products.

Black Friday's environmental impact extends far beyond the shopping frenzy. Our research shows approximately 400,000 tonnes of CO2 could be released into the atmosphere due to Black Friday shopping alone in the UK this year.

This figure aligns with a 2020 report estimating over 429,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from Black Friday deliveries. This figure is equivalent to 435 return flights from London to New York. 

While focusing on savings, we often overlook this environmental toll. Moreover, on average, a Black Friday shopper spends £313 on sale items, with 69% of that money typically going toward gifts. This spending spree leads to overproduction, with many goods never finding buyers. In the fashion industry, unsold clothes often become obsolete within a season, contributing to waste.

Consequently, this shows a shocking 80% of items bought during sales end up in landfills, incinerators, or low-quality recycling after just a few uses. This waste crisis extends beyond the day itself, with households in the UK throwing out 25% more trash between Black Friday and New Year's Day than any other time of year.

The surge in online shopping during Black Friday significantly increases carbon emissions.

Delivery trucks release 94% more CO2 during Black Friday than an average week. In 2022, this amounted to 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 from delivery trucks in the UK alone. This increase is partly due to the expectation of next-day delivery, often resulting in half-filled trucks being sent out. 

Moreover, overusing single-use items, such as plastic bags and packaging materials, further exacerbates environmental issues.

Black Friday sparks excitement for bargains but drives a troubling issue—throwaway culture. The surge in consumer spending creates a massive wave of waste, with goods often discarded soon after purchase.

This culture is further fueled by planned obsolescence, marketing strategies that promote the latest trends, and the convenience of online shopping.

A study by Statista reveals that UK consumers spent £4.81 billion for only online sales on Black Friday 2023, marking a 5% increase compared to the previous year, with fashion and electronics topping sales. This made Black Friday the UK's most significant online shopping day in 2023. It's important to note that this figure represents online spending only. 

This can lead to a cycle of consumption and disposal, with items ending up in landfills shortly after being purchased.

Overall, many products bought during this time have short lifespans. This is seen in excessive packaging, which contributes 45% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide from online shopping. 

In other words, the impact per purchase contributes to environmental degradation:

Therefore, we shouldn’t train ourselves to wait for sales before shopping,  which would potentially disrupt our normal buying patterns and budgets.

We've reached a pivotal moment where we must reassess our shopping habits, especially during events like Black Friday. As consumers, we are increasingly aware of our impact on the environment, yet the sheer volume of sales continues to take a toll. 

Conscious consumption means engaging in the economy with greater awareness of how our purchases impact society.

We should work toward a circular economy where people repair, recycle, and reuse items. This approach can significantly reduce waste and environmental impact.

We need to understand that each product we consume has multiple stages, from raw material extraction to disposal, each with environmental consequences. For example, it takes 14,000 litres of water to make a smartphone and 190,000 litres for a laptop. By sharing such information, we can encourage more mindful purchasing decisions. 

As we approach Black Friday 2024, both businesses and consumers have the opportunity to redefine the event. By focusing on sustainability and mindful consumption, we can create a more balanced approach to holiday shopping.

Black Friday, falling on 29 November 2024, remains a pivotal shopping event. Recent data reveals intriguing trends shaping consumer behaviour and market dynamics.

Here are key statistics and facts about Black Friday from a worldwide perspective:

The top-selling categories included:

The statistics about Black Friday's environmental impact, such as carbon emissions and waste generation, are cited from reputable sources such as Statista and Market Report.

As concerns about overconsumption and its environmental impact rise, several companies are choosing to boycott the event or offer alternative initiatives. We are seeing a growing trend of retailers boycotting to raise awareness about sustainability.

Here are some notable brands taking a stand against Black Friday in 2024:

These brands' actions reflect a growing trend towards more sustainable and ethical consumption. According to a Boston Consulting Group study, 51% of consumers now prefer to buy local brands or products, while 46% pay more attention to sustainable packaging.

Their actions benefit the environment and encourage consumers to rethink their purchasing habits.

Black Friday has become a global phenomenon, with an estimated 50-60% of countries worldwide participating in some form. The adoption has spread rapidly across continents, transforming shopping habits and boosting sales figures.

Let's explore nations leading in Black Friday sales for 2024.

These figures highlight the global appeal. Retailers worldwide prepare for increased traffic, both online and in-store. Consumer preferences vary by country, reflecting cultural differences and shopping habits. 

Black Friday, once a uniquely American phenomenon, is eagerly anticipated globally. The financial implication on consumers is growing. This year, we would see a significant increase in spending compared to 2022, with some countries projecting a 22% rise.

This surge reflects inflation and shifts towards November bargain hunting for holiday gifts. Moreover, 68% of consumers intend to use these sales events for gift shopping. 

Despite economic pressures, overall spending is on the rise. We predict that some UK consumers expect to shell out between £500 - £1,200 during the Black Friday, a substantial increase from pandemic-era spending. 

For the Black Friday-Cyber Monday weekend specifically, shoppers plan to spend an average of £445, marking a 13% increase from last year. 

However, Black Friday's costs extend beyond monetary values. Time spent shopping, stress from crowds or website crashes, and potential financial strain all factor into personal costs.

For retailers, Black Friday can make or break yearly profits. While sales surge, profit margins often shrink due to deep discounts. Some businesses report 30-40% of annual revenue from Black Friday weekend. 

With increasing online shopping, cybersecurity expenses rise. Large retailers might spend millions protecting customer data during peak sales periods.

The significant impact is driven mainly by four factors:

Black Friday's environmental impact is undeniably toxic. The retail sector generates 25% of the world's carbon emissions annually, with Black Friday significantly worsening this footprint.

The toxicity extends beyond waste. This event promotes impulse buying and overconsumption, leading to alarming statistics. As stated earlier, consumers discard about 80% of their purchases after just a few uses. Most of these items end up in landfills, are incinerated, or undergo low-quality recycling.

The surge in online shopping during Black Friday further exacerbates environmental issues. In 2022, Amazon saw a 352% increase in transactions due to Black Friday discounts. This surge in deliveries contributes significantly to carbon emissions.

While Black Friday offers economic benefits, its environmental and social costs are substantial.

A sustainable Black Friday is possible. We can transform this shopping event into a more sustainable occasion by promoting lower-impact alternatives and adopting actionable strategies.

This shift allows businesses to drive sales while contributing positively to the environment. 

However, a completely eco-friendly Black Friday may not happen overnight, but small steps can make a difference. With steps towards reducing its environmental impact,  awareness grows, and we may see a gradual transformation.

How to shop sustainably: if you must shop during Black Friday, consider these strategies: 

However, challenges remain. The convenience and allure of discounts often override environmental concerns for many shoppers. Businesses must balance profit goals with sustainability efforts.

While Black Friday is synonymous with deals and discounts, the environmental cost is steep, but we can only know more if we compare it to everyday activities. 

Therefore, let's compare its impact to gain a better perspective.

Black Friday deliveries in the UK alone generate 429,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. This equals:

Studies show that 80% of Black Friday purchases end up discarded. This translates to:

Black Friday's demand for discounted goods leads to resource depletion. For context:

Online shopping on Black Friday uses significant energy. A single internet search uses 0.0003 kWh of electricity. Multiply this by millions of shoppers:

We are seeing a shift towards more sustainable practices as many brands are taking innovative approaches to combat overconsumption and promote eco-friendly alternatives.

As a result, several alternatives have emerged worldwide, offering more sustainable and mindful approaches to holiday shopping.

These alternatives offer diverse approaches to counter Black Friday's consumerism, from abstaining from purchases to supporting ethical businesses and charitable causes.

Black Friday's environmental impact raises serious concerns about our consumption habits. We have seen how this shopping event contributes to increased carbon emissions, excessive waste generation, and the promotion of a throwaway culture. 

Sustainability should become a critical concern and support brands offering "Green Friday" alternatives, focusing on eco-friendly products or donating profits.

As we look ahead, balancing consumer demand with environmental responsibility will be crucial. Retailers and shoppers alike must consider the long-term impacts of their choices during this shopping season.