Stop Before You Shop: The Issues With Black Friday and Cyber Monday – Good On You

Analysis of Black Friday’s Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: The Conflict Between Mass Consumption Events and Global Sustainability

The annual Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping events represent a significant challenge to global sustainability efforts. These periods of intense consumerism, driven by promotional marketing and heavy discounts, directly conflict with the principles outlined in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This report analyzes the environmental and social repercussions of Black Friday, highlighting its misalignment with key SDGs, and outlines alternative consumer and corporate behaviors that promote sustainable development.

Negative Impacts on Sustainable Development

Challenges to SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

The core model of Black Friday promotes patterns of consumption and production that are fundamentally unsustainable, directly undermining SDG 12.

• Promotion of Overconsumption: The event encourages the purchase of unnecessary goods through time-limited offers, contributing to a culture of disposability.
• Waste Generation: Research indicates that up to 80% of items purchased during Black Friday are discarded after minimal or no use, exacerbating landfill waste and resource depletion.
• Unsustainable Materials: The demand for low-cost goods often leads to the use of poor-quality, non-sustainable materials, shortening product lifecycles and increasing waste.
• Greenwashing: Some corporations attempt to apply a “sustainable” label to Black Friday deals, which misleads consumers and masks the inherent unsustainability of mass consumption.

Setbacks for SDG 13: Climate Action and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The logistical operations required to support Black Friday sales result in a substantial environmental footprint, negatively impacting climate and urban environments.

• Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Product deliveries for Black Friday 2023 were projected to emit 429,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases, contributing directly to climate change in opposition to SDG 13.
• Increased Air Pollution: The surge in delivery vehicles leads to significant spikes in air pollution in urban centers. At peak times, an Amazon fulfillment center was observed dispatching a diesel truck every 93 seconds, impacting progress toward SDG 11.

Undermining SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The pressure to produce and deliver goods cheaply and quickly for Black Friday sales often leads to the violation of labour rights, contradicting the principles of decent work for all as outlined in SDG 8.

• Exploitation of Production Workers: To maintain low prices, manufacturing is often outsourced to regions where workers are denied living wages and safe working conditions. The profits generated from sales events rarely benefit these workers.
• Precarious Conditions for Logistics Staff: Warehouse and delivery workers face immense pressure, often working 12-16 hour shifts to meet demand. In 2023, Amazon workers across 30 countries planned strikes during Black Friday to demand improved pay and working conditions.

Exacerbating SDG 1: No Poverty and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

The economic model of Black Friday reinforces global and social inequalities.

• Perpetuating Poverty Cycles: By paying poverty-level wages to garment workers, the system traps them and their communities in a cycle of poverty, hindering progress on SDG 1.
• Widening Economic Disparity: The business model is designed to maximize corporate profits and executive compensation at the expense of the working class, thereby increasing inequality in contravention of SDG 10.
• Consumer Manipulation: Research has shown that many Black Friday “discounts” are not the lowest prices offered throughout the year, indicating that the event exploits consumers for corporate gain.

Promoting Sustainable Alternatives Aligned with the SDGs

Advancing SDG 12 through Conscious Consumerism

Consumers can actively contribute to SDG 12 by rejecting the Black Friday model and adopting more responsible consumption habits.

1. Reduce and Re-evaluate: Individuals are encouraged to apply the “5 Rs of sustainable fashion” (Reduce, Rewear, Recycle, Repair, Resell) to minimize consumption and waste.
2. Support Sustainable Enterprises: When purchases are necessary, consumers can support brands with verified positive environmental and social ratings.
3. Embrace the Circular Economy: Opting for pre-owned goods or participating in clothing swaps reduces demand for new production and minimizes environmental impact.

Corporate Initiatives Supporting the Global Goals

A growing number of brands are implementing initiatives that counter the Black Friday ethos and actively support various SDGs.

• SDG 4 (Quality Education): Kotn commits 100% of its sales during this period to building schools in Egypt. O My Bag donates a portion of its sales to Future Hope, an organization providing education and shelter to children in India.
• SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): Asket closes its retail operations on Black Friday to protest overconsumption. Brands like Armedangels and Colorful Standard have published statements and guides to promote mindful shopping over impulse buying.

Fostering SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Collective action is essential for driving systemic change and holding corporations and governments accountable.

• Giving Tuesday: This global movement offers a constructive alternative by promoting charitable giving and community support, fostering a more generous and collaborative society.
• Advocacy for Systemic Change: Lasting progress requires pressuring governments to implement regulations that hold corporations accountable for their environmental and social impacts, thereby creating a framework that supports the achievement of all Sustainable Development Goals.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article highlights issues related to overconsumption, environmental degradation, and poor labor conditions, which directly connect to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary SDGs addressed are:

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article discusses the negative social impacts of Black Friday on workers, including low wages, poor working conditions, and long hours, particularly in the fashion and logistics industries.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: This is the most central SDG in the article. The text critiques the culture of overconsumption promoted by Black Friday, the resulting waste generation, and advocates for conscious consumerism and sustainable practices.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The article explicitly links Black Friday to a significant carbon footprint, citing greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing and worldwide shipping of products.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Under SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth):
   • Target 8.8: “Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment.” The article points to the exploitation of workers through low wages (“pennies”), unsafe conditions, and the stress placed on delivery and warehouse staff who work “long hours—from 12-16 each day at Amazon.” The mention of Amazon workers in 30 countries threatening to strike for “better pay and working conditions” directly relates to this target.
2. Under SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production):
   • Target 12.5: “By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.” The article highlights the immense waste created by Black Friday, stating that “up to 80% of our Black Friday purchases are thrown away after just one or even zero uses.” It also promotes the “5 Rs of sustainable fashion: Reduce, Rewear, Recycle, Repair, and Resell” as a direct strategy to achieve this target.
   • Target 12.8: “By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature.” The article’s entire purpose is to raise consumer awareness about the negative impacts of Black Friday and to promote “conscious consumerism.” It encourages shoppers to ask critical questions before buying and provides resources like the Good On You app to make informed choices.
3. Under SDG 13 (Climate Action):
   • Target 13.2: “Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.” While the article focuses on consumer and corporate action, the massive environmental impact it describes calls for broader systemic change. The mention of Black Friday’s carbon footprint and the statistic that “2023’s Black Friday was expected to emit 429,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions just from product deliveries” underscores the need to integrate consumption patterns into climate change strategies.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Indicator for Target 8.8: The article implies a lack of decent work through descriptions of labor conditions. Progress could be measured by a reduction in the need for worker strikes, improved pay scales moving towards a living wage (the article mentions workers being deprived of “access to a living wage”), and adherence to standard working hours (as opposed to the “12-16 each day” mentioned).
• Indicator for Target 12.5: A direct indicator is the percentage of purchased goods that are discarded. The article cites a study suggesting “up to 80% of our Black Friday purchases are thrown away.” A reduction in this percentage would indicate progress. Another indicator is the adoption rate of circular economy practices like the “5 Rs” (Reduce, Rewear, Recycle, Repair, and Resell).
• Indicator for Target 13.2: A key indicator mentioned is the volume of greenhouse gas emissions from e-commerce deliveries. The article states that “2023’s Black Friday was expected to emit 429,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions just from product deliveries.” Tracking and reducing this figure year-on-year would be a clear measure of progress in mitigating the climate impact of such shopping events.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: goodonyou.eco