El Green Friday has been around since 2019 and highlights brands that do not participate in Black Friday for environmental reasons.
For some time now, around this time of year, the “shopping event of the year” has been “celebrated” in honor of“Black Friday.” It is an event featuringattractive discountsofferedby most brands, stores, and big-box retailers. A concept that is apparently designed for consumers and to help companies significantly increase their sales throughout the day, but this event is not without negative consequences. Now thatCOP26hasended,the environmental situation remains alarming. Everyone’s behaviors and habits must move in the right direction. That is why, every year, more companies are joining thefight against Black Friday due to its ethical shortcomings. This is the case withKipli—we offer fair prices on our products and have participated inGreen Fridaysincethe movement began.
What is Black Friday, and where does it come from?
Black Friday has been an American tradition since the 1930s, although the term “Black Friday” was first used in the 1950s. It takes place onthe last Friday of November, leading up toThanksgivingandthe start of Christmas shopping. This is when businessesoffer significant discountsthroughoutthe day. These discounts are often much larger than those found during traditional sales periods in Spain.
It’s also during these days that we seevideos oftheconsumer frenzythesesales trigger in many customers. Especially those videos where people line up for hours in front of the store and, just 10 seconds after it opens, have ransacked the place. The goal is clear:to snag as many deals as possible in record time.
In Spain, we used to have two sales seasons: summer and winter, but after spending some time here, we’ve adopted the American sales craze in our stores. Above all, this trend has been driven by the growth of online sales and the globalization of markets.
These days, Black Fridayisn’t limited to just one day. For starters, the following Monday also offers the chance to take advantage of these massive discounts. It’s known asCyber Monday—in case you missed out on Black Friday. Some brands don’t even limit their sales to these specific days; instead,they offer discounts throughout the weekoreven theentire month of November. That’s why some people are already calling it “Black November.”
Attractive sales promotions thatencourage overconsumption and a shopping frenzy. To combat this, more and more brands are openly taking a stand against Black Friday. Thisis known as Green Friday, and we are part of it.
Why celebrate Green Friday?
Many brands already offer regular discounts. There areoutlet stores, sales, and “promotions” sectionsavailableyear-round, especially inclothing stores. Offering discountsencourages compulsive—and therefore unnecessary—purchases. We’ll be tempted to buy a newer phone even though the one we have is inperfect condition. We buy devices or appliances even if we’ll never use them. All of thisvastly increases waste, in addition to increasing shipping volumes due to online shopping, which creates spikes in pollution.
ElGreen Friday has been around since 2019andfeatures brands that do not participate in Black Friday forenvironmental and ethical reasons. The goal is toreturn to reasonable and purely practical consumption.Reevaluatinghow commerce operates is essential for the future.We must fight against planned obsolescence—the practice of deliberately setting a short lifespan for products.
ElGreen Friday has been around since 2019andfeatures brands that do not participate in Black Fridayfor environmental and ethical reasons. The goal is toreturn to reasonableandpurely practicalconsumption. Reevaluating how commerce operates is essential for the future. We must fight against planned obsolescence—the practice of deliberately setting a short lifespan for products.
Make the most of the essentials—what’s truly useful—andbuyqualitytoensure durability.Ofcourse, we can treat ourselves, but the challenge isto limit excessive consumption.It’sa gesture for the planet, but also for a more prosperous society. Who’s happy to see people fighting over the last jar of Nutella at a bargain price? We could also learn to make our own spread using natural ingredients.
At KIPLI, we’ve held this vision from the very beginning, and we refuse to offer discounts—which is why the original price is often marked up to create the illusion of a “deal of the century.”We offer our products at a fair price. Transparency is our philosophy.Everystakeholder involved in the production and sale of a product receives fair compensation.We want to be an active participant in thisemerging new society of rational consumption,whichis essential for preserving our environment.