The correlation between Black Friday and Throwaway Culture.

Black Friday has made its mark in becoming a huge marketing opportunity for brands to lure us in to "deals" and encourage us to spend spend spend. But has consumerism gone one step too far?

It seems like just yesterday we were witnessing scenes from the US of battles over a TV in Walmart. Those scenes however, are now happening here too. From the end of October, we are being bombarded with advertisements and every company telling us about their soon to launch Black Friday deals. When did this American Day become a thing here? Why does it seem to last the entire month? Why is it then followed up with a Cyber Monday which then lasts another week? What did we do to deserve this torture?

You may think that you're getting a bargain, but it really is impossible to actually win at Black Friday. The only winner is the retailer, it's a great way to get rid of excess stock and inventory. But especially in times of COVID, when millions are losing their jobs - even they are likely to struggle to turnover big numbers seen in prior years. This could well be why these sales have started increasingly earlier, as well as offers being significantly larger than before.

It does also raise another question, about our attitudes towards consumerism. We see retailers offering obscene discounts, often on things we don't need, yet still end up buying because it's cheap. How many times have you bought an outfit "just in case" you need it for a certain occasion that will never come round? Those at the cheaper end of the market do Black Friday deals that practically make it look like they're giving clothing away. Thinking about brands like Fashionova, Pretty Little Thing, Boohoo, Asos and others. When items are already so cheap, how it is possible profit is made on purchases as well as then funnelling down to the workers who create these garments? Most of the time, outfits from said sites are done for one occasion and never worn again. Throwaway culture makes up a huge proportion of these companies sales, which Black Friday then helps push even further.

Impulse purchases are something we're all guilty of, yet few actually address. When we go shopping it's more important now, more than ever to buy higher quality. Often these items will cost more than the cheaper counterparts we'd impulse buy, but it helps us reduce this throwaway culture we've become so accustomed to. Going through your items every 6 months or so, seeing what you actually wear is a good way to realise just how much excess clothing you've purchased. My favourite brands offer little to no discounts when it comes to Black Friday. As we move to a more mindful existence, I think this could be something more companies begin to do.

Sustainability is something that we have to think about too when we order things online, the plastic packaging, the returns that we end up making, big cardboard boxes and so on.. Brands are making a conscious effort to cut down or find alternatives, but the buck still stops with us when ordering. I dread to think how many boxes amazon sends out on Black Friday.

Chances are, you don't need that 75 inch smart TV. The one you've got at home is probably, perfectly fine. By all means, shop where you want and buy what you want. But do so in a more mindful way. Think before you buy. When the sales come around in January, the discounts will be even larger. And so on. Just remember, if you buy cheap, you'll probably end up buying twice.