As is the case every year, Friday will mark the start of a major event for the retail industry: Black Friday. Special offers and discounts will be available from a wide range of brands and at stores belonging to major retail chains. The concept sounds appealing to both consumers and businesses—which see their sales skyrocket on this day—but it comes with consequences. The 2021 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow has just concluded, with the finding that environmental problems remain alarming. In addition to political decisions on climate protection and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the behaviors and habits of each individual can make a difference. For this reason, more and more companies are boycotting Black Friday for ethical reasons. We at Kipli also oppose Black Friday and would like to explain our reasons to you.
What is Black Friday, and where did it originate?
Black Friday originated in the 1930s as an American tradition, but the term was first used in the 1950s. It always takes place on the last Friday in November (which follows the American Thanksgiving holiday but also marks the start of Christmas shopping). On this day, companies offer spectacular discounts (often even better deals than during regular sales). You’ve surely seen the images of crowds gathering outside stores and rushing to grab products five seconds after the doors open, without really thinking about what they’re buying. The goal is to snag as many bargains as possible in the shortest amount of time.
Today, Black Friday is no longer limited to a single day and has become an international phenomenon thanks to global online retail. In addition to traditional retail sales, Black Friday has been celebrated in Germany since 2013, primarily through online discount promotions.
Friday is followed by Cyber Monday on Monday (in case you missed your chance on Friday!). In addition, more and more brands are offering discount promotions for an entire Black Week—or even throughout the entire month of November. These special offers have no set start or end date and extend all the way through Black November.
These sales promotions, which may seem attractive at first glance, inevitably fuel a shopping frenzy and excessive mass consumption. To counteract this, more and more brands are openly taking a stand against Black Friday and joining the Green Friday movement. Kipli has also joined this movement.
Why should you participate in Green Friday?
Discount promotions are part of everyday life for many brands. In addition to outlet stores and clearance sales, there are pages dedicated to “special offers” that can be found almost year-round, especially on fast-fashion websites. Introducing more discounts encourages impulsive—and thus often unnecessary—purchases. People are tempted to buy a new smartphone at a low price, even though their current one is still fully functional. They buy household appliances that they end up stowing away in a closet after using them just once. All of this leads to an enormous amount of waste and increases the number of delivery services, since most of these purchases are made online these days.
Green Friday was founded in 2019 and lists all the brands that do not participate in Black Friday for environmental and ethical reasons. The goal is to return to sensible and purely practical consumption. Rethinking the entire retail supply chain is crucial for our future: rethinking planned mass consumption and trying to replace or repair products, limiting ourselves as much as possible to what is essential and useful, and prioritizing quality and durability over fast production. We do not advocate minimalism, but we do want to take on the challenge of curbing excessive consumption.
This not only benefits the planet, but also contributes to a healthier society. Who actually enjoys seeing people fight over the last jar of Nutella at a bargain price? Wouldn’t it be better to learn how to make your own spread?
At Kipli, we have upheld this vision from the very beginning and refuse to offer discounts on prices that have been artificially inflated beforehand, just to give the impression that you’ve scored the “bargain of the year.” We offer our products at a fair price. Transparency is our guiding principle. Every stakeholder involved in both the production and sale of a product is fairly compensated. We want to be an active player in this emerging society of mindful consumption, which is essential for protecting our environment.