Black Friday – an American low cost procuring competition that occurs on the Friday after Thanksgiving – has been exported all over the world from China to the UK, and sees Brits spend about £3bn over the weekend splurge fest. However analysis performed by Preserve Britain Tidy has revealed 16.6 million UK adults (31%) say they ‘hate’ Black Friday, and 14.5 million (27%) would be part of a boycott towards it.
Half of the adults polled consider the occasion drives waste and pointless carbon emissions, and belief within the ‘offers’ accessible can be waning. A 2025 YouGov survey discovered that 63% of individuals felt discouraged by what they noticed as deceptive or complicated reductions throughout Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Value of residing pressures are reinforcing the development as households have gotten extra selective about discretionary purchases, and November’s standard spending spike is turning into much less predictable.
“The waste our nation generates is a big situation all yr spherical, however is exacerbated at the moment of yr, as seemingly giant reductions persuade folks to purchase objects they don’t want and may’t all the time afford,” mentioned Allison Ogden-Newton, Preserve Britain Tidy’s chief govt. “The general public are awakening to the concept that this stage of consumerism is environmentally and economically unsustainable.”
The identical change in mindset is shaping expectations for Christmas. New analysis from the monetary wellbeing firm Loqbox exhibits that 4 in 10 folks plan to purchase fewer items this yr. Solely 7% say presents are the spotlight of the season, with 63% saying that spending time with family members is the principle enchantment.
The general public are awakening to the concept that this stage of consumerism is unsustainable
“One of the best reward you can provide somebody is perhaps not placing them below monetary strain within the first place,” mentioned Tom Eyre, CEO and co-founder of Loqbox, which performed the survey. The findings comply with feedback from Martin Lewis, a number one client finance knowledgeable, who lately advised that households ought to “ban pointless Christmas items” to ease monetary strain.
Households are responding in sensible methods comparable to making items moderately than shopping for them, or skipping presents altogether in favour of shared actions.
Foremost picture: Markus Spiske
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