Black Friday Waste Statistics

More than half of adults in the UK have made a Black Friday purchase in the past. Despite a growing awareness of the environmental damage the day does, we continue to overconsume and buy unnecessary items based on big discounts. It generates an awful lot of waste each year.

The headline figure is that Black Friday creates an estimated 1.5 million tonnes of waste in the UK each year. Here are some more shocking Black Friday waste statistics:

• 80% of Black Friday purchases get thrown away
• Black Friday creates 700,000 tonnes of cardboard and plastic packaging waste in the UK
• Only around 29% of electrical waste created because of Black Friday is recycled
• Transporting Black Friday goods creates an additional 429,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions – the same as 435 return flights from London to New York
• Trucks transporting goods around Europe during Black Friday week release 2 million tonnes of CO2 – a big increase on the average week
• There’s a 25% increase in waste levels in the USA between Black Friday week and New Year
• Research from one consumer survey found that 52% of buyers regret their Black Friday purchases a week later
• People are aware of the negative environmental impact of Black Friday – a YouGov poll found 42% of people think Black Friday purchases are bad for the environment
• The same poll found that half of people surveyed acknowledge Black Friday contributes to landfill waste
• Research by Keep Britain Tidy claims that 27% of adults in the UK are willing to boycott Black Friday due to concerns about its environmental impact

The most sustainable thing to do as a consumer on Black Friday is to avoid buying stuff you don’t need. Even if there’s a big discount on a vacuum cleaner, do you really need a new one? Businesses can also enjoy a zero waste Black Friday by simply not participating – save the deals for other times of the year.

Campaigns like Buy Nothing New Month and Green Friday are already in place to encourage more sustainable shopping habits at this time of year. These are a few more ideas for ways to experience a sustainable Black Friday as a shopper or business:

• Shop locally – visit physical shops in your area and support small businesses that might not be able to apply big discounts like major retailers. This reduces the carbon emissions from online deliveries too.
• Buy what you need – or purchase nothing at all! Try to avoid being sucked into any deals for things you don’t need, unless there’s a specific item you require and have waited until Black Friday to get it at a lower cost.
• Use sustainable suppliers – partner with local and sustainable suppliers if you run a business to reduce your environmental impact, such as those that don’t participate in Black Friday.
• Look for Black Friday alternatives – there are many ethical and sustainable brands turning Black Friday on its head. This includes initiatives such as donating to charity for every purchase made over Black Friday weekend, running a take-back scheme and providing store credit, or simply not participating in the day.
• Recycle, refurbish, and reuse – rather than buying new, use the day to consider any items from your home or business that could be given a new lease of life by recycling, refurbishing, or reusing them. Consider ways to have a positive environmental impact to counteract the effect of Black Friday.

Looking to improve the sustainability of your business? Explore our reduce waste guides for more ideas on how to minimise the commercial waste your company produces.