Make sure you think twice before buying any Black Friday bargains this week. Whilst it might seem like a great idea to buy up lots of electrical goods, clothes etc, do consider these points highlighted by Ethical Consumer.
The carbon cost of Black Friday and Cyber Monday is high. In 2022 it was estimated that 400,000 tons of CO2 would be admitted into the atmosphere as a result of transport on Black Friday in the UK alone. This is equivalent to over a million miles driven by an average gasoline-powered car.
Clothing and electronics are among the most popular Black Friday purchases. Mintel estimates that total sales during Black Friday 2022 reached an estimated £12.3 billion, up 8.3% year-on-year.
According to a Green Alliance report, 80% of electronics and clothing, plus the plastic packaging they are wrapped in, end up in landfill, incineration, or at best low-quality recycling after a very short life.
We are not cutting consumption fast enough to avoid climate meltdown. When it comes to the impact of consumer goods on the planet, repairing, choosing second-hand, and when necessary buying from more sustainable brands is the way to help close the climate gap.
Black Friday is taking us in the opposite direction of where we need to be heading, encouraging the purchase of brand new things we probably don’t even need.