Independent UK retailers plan to boycott Black Friday

Independent retailers are preparing the UK’s largest-ever Black Friday boycott to protest against ‘rabid consumerism,so things are looking a little different for the American tradition that has taken over the world this year.

About 85% of independent retailers will skip Black Friday this year, opting instead to close their websites, donate their revenues to charity, and plant trees as part of a fresh effort to curb overconsumption.

This year, the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has received the biggest number of Black Friday boycott registrations ever, and they are part of a rising movement against large online shopping companies like Amazon, which has gained traction since the outbreak began.

Zoe Roberts, founder of Out of the Box Gifts, an eco-friendly gift box shop based in Cheshire, said that they will be donating 10% of their Black Friday weekend sales to their local food bank. They despise Black Friday for a variety of reasons, the most important of which is that they believe it promotes the, to buy goods they don’t need, hence increasing waste.

People are seeking new ways to shop small as the anti-Black Friday movement grows in popularity. Local high streets and markets have benefited greatly from the change.

Another website that has recently launched in response to the Black Friday boycott and the harsh conditions imposed during the pandemic is Shoplocalonline.org. Dr. Jackie Mulligan, the site’s founder, said that small firms weren’t allowed to trade; they were deemed non-essential in many categories. Then there was the billionaire [Amazon founder Jeff Bezos] who launched himself into space. It simply does not make sense. The Grinch has stolen Christmas from local stores as Black Friday decimates the high street. Small businesses don’t want to pay a 30% fee to an online retailer, and they don’t want their products to come through a fulfillment center. All they want is to be able to serenade.