The majority of Black Friday deals are not a good deal, as shown by new research by the consumer group Which?. The company analysed over 200 deals from eight major shops, including Amazon, Argos, Currys and John Lewis, and discovered that 98% of the bargains on offer were cheaper or the same price at any other time compared with Black Friday. In spite of this, Black Friday and Cyber Monday remain two of the busiest shopping days of the year, with pictures of shoppers fighting over discounted flat screens flooding the media.
Concerned by the impact of such hollow consumerism, here are seven things you can do in protest. In the first instance, embrace Buy Nothing Day, an international response against consumerism which started in Canada in 1992 with the artist Ted Dave, allowing society to reflect on the issue of overconsumption. With the day catching on globally, use this time to switch off and instead plant bulbs for the spring, pushing back against instant gratification ideals, promoting new growth and sustainability.
For those needing retail therapy, look at creativity and repair options. With the idea of fixability in mind, broken electronics can be taken to repair cafes or fixing factories which are opening throughout the UK and beyond. Experts on-hand can help you fix anything from a computer to a bicycle on a pay-what-you-can basis. An alternate option is to look at clothes swaps, such as those currently running at the Waverly Garms event of Nunhead in south London, or organising a swap shop yourself, and tackling the throwaway culture promoted by the fast-fashion industry.
By practicing these simple steps, not only do you save money and avoid being caught up in the furore of Black Friday, but you also avoid contributing to the wheels of capitalism and instead fund reliable, uplifting journalism
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