Despite the emergence of counter-movements, the success of this great celebration of overconsumption remains undiminished. On the contrary, it has definitively established itself in Switzerland as in the rest of Europe.
"Buy more and more!" That is the main objective of this final day in November. Imported from the United States, this day after Thanksgiving has turned into a major celebration of overconsumption, both in Switzerland and in the rest of Europe. "Every year, we buy more things than the previous year and we waste more things than the previous year. We cannot continue like this," warns Nic Stacey at Bloomberg.
This multi-award-winning producer and director is behind a new documentary unveiling the sales strategies of major brands. Titled "Buy Now: These brands that manipulate us," this film, available on Netflix, exposes the online marketing techniques used by big brands to encourage consumers to buy ever more.
In recent years, a sign of uncontrolled escalation, Black Friday has expanded to become Black Week, even Black Month. Today, this period is even followed by Cyber Monday. Scheduled just after Black Friday, this day was invented by retailers to encourage consumers to extend their online shopping.
Nothing seems to stop merchants, who know that a significant share of their holiday turnover is decided during this period. "It encourages buying quickly and in large quantities, relying on the argument of low prices and limited-time promotions," explains Marine Foulon, communications manager of the NGO Zero Waste France, on TF1.
This sales strategy is a hit judging by how quickly the Black Friday period has become ingrained in habits. Although Switzerland lacks precise statistics, a walk in town or opening your spam folder is enough to see that all retailers have joined in. In France, figures from a study conducted by the Harris Interactive institute (2022) reveal that 97% of citizens say they have heard of it, and 63% have already participated.
The great paradox is that today, consumers are aware that this period is not only actually unlikely to offer good deals, but is also an ecological disaster. "We thus buy things we had not necessarily planned to buy and we skip the reflection step about what we need. This often leads to failed purchases that end up in a cupboard or are returned to the sender. In terms of waste of objects and resources, it's huge," testifies Marine Foulon.
According to Harris Interactive, "Three quarters of French people believe that Black Friday does not always allow good deals and 70% associate it with excess and overconsumption." The environmental consequences of this period are today considerable and multiple. Overproduction, overpackaging (often in plastic), an explosion of deliveries and then returns, Black Friday's carbon footprint is disastrous. "In terms of waste of objects and resources, it's just huge," sums up Marine Foulon.
In recent years, several alternatives have emerged to counter this black day in terms of CO₂ emissions. Green or Blue Friday, Circular Monday, Buy Nothing Day, Giving Tuesday, or the Fair Friday in Switzerland… The list grows every year.
Launched in 2018 by Payot in association with Caritas, the Fair Friday initiative is based on a simple concept: allow consumers to round up their bill to help people in precarious situations. In France, more than a thousand brands, including Maisons du Monde, Joon and Camif, support the "Make Friday Great Again" movement and commit not to take part in Black Friday.
For Marine Foulon, these counter-movements show that it is "possible to consume and think differently than merely giving in to discounts, promotions and making purchases that are not necessarily necessary."
Since making his documentary, Nic Stacey says he has changed his consumption habits. He starts by checking if the desired item is available second-hand. Then, he recommends taking a pause before pressing buy. "If an urge to buy suddenly comes to mind that day or that week, it is likely that you do not really need it and that your desire has simply been prompted by advertising," he explains.
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