(And Why Shopping Local Matters More Than Ever)
Every November, like clockwork, Black Friday rolls in — a tidal wave of countdown timers, flashing “DEALS!”, and emails that shout at you in capital letters. What started as an American post-Thanksgiving shopping tradition has become a global frenzy, absorbed and amplified by the very corporations that least need your money.
But behind the bargain chaos lies something darker: the environmental toll, the tax loopholes, and the erosion of the local high street — all dressed up as “savings.”
The Environmental Cost Nobody Likes to Mention
Black Friday creates a spike in production and shipping so dramatic that environmental groups have labelled it one of the most damaging weekends of the year.
Fast-made products, cheap electronics destined for landfill, next-day delivery trucks racing across the country… it all adds up.
Every impulsive buy has a footprint, and Black Friday encourages a lot of impulsive buying.When an item is so cheap it feels like it barely exists, we treat it that way — disposable, replaceable, forgettable.
Independent shops don’t work like that.
We choose carefully. We curate. We buy in small quantities. We don’t create waste to manufacture demand.
Imported from America… and Remixed by Online Giants
Black Friday didn’t originate here. But big corporations saw a profit gap the size of the M6 and wasted no time transplanting it to the UK.
And now?
The loudest voices in Black Friday are often companies who:
- Don’t pay meaningful tax in the UK
- Outsource manufacturing with little environmental oversight
- Avoid contributing to the communities where their customers live
- Use aggressive data-driven advertising to create a “buy now before you think” mentality
These aren’t “deals.” They’re extraction.
The Local High Street Pays the Price
When people choose online mega-retailers over local shops, the impact doesn’t remain online. It hits:
- Local jobs
- Local services
- Local culture
- Local identity
- Local meeting places
A high street with living, breathing independents feels different — safer, warmer, more human. It’s something worth protecting, because once it’s gone, a town rarely gets it back.
The Counter-Movements: Humanity Over Hype
Thankfully, Black Friday backlash is growing. Around the UK, people are choosing alternatives like:
Slow Shopping
Taking time to choose things that last — not things that are cheap.
Green Friday
Buying sustainability-first products or choosing not to shop at all.
Small Business Saturday
A celebration of the shops that actually support communities.
Shop Indie / Shop Local
A movement that reminds us that where you spend your money shapes the place you live.
Make Amazon Pay
A global campaign calling for better worker protections, fair taxes, and less corporate greed.
These movements reflect a simple truth: spending money is never neutral. It’s a vote — for the kind of world and high street you want.
Why Shopping Locally Makes Such a Massive Difference
When you shop at a local independent — whether it’s us, Coward’s Butchers, Zucca Zucca, Dandelion, Fussy Cow, or any of the brilliant Frodsham indies — something powerful happens:
💷 More of your money stays in the local economy
Studies show up to 63p of every £1 spent locally stays local (versus as little as 5p with some online giants).
👋 You support real people, with real wages, real homes, real families
Not shareholders. Not billionaire CEOs.
🏙️ You keep your high street alive
Vibrant towns need vibrant businesses — not empty units and dark windows.
🌱 You choose quality, care, character… not landfill fodder
Indies don’t deal in slop. We deal in things meant to be loved.
Our Black Friday Stance
At The Curious Cat Bookshop, we’re not doing Black Friday deals. Our hope is that by acting Ethically ourselves that customers will do so too, practice what you preach.
We’d rather:
- Pay our suppliers fairly
- Keep our staff employed
- Support local makers
- Curate quality books
- Run community events
- Be part of a high street that feels like somewhere people want to be
We won’t shout at you to buy things you don’t need.
But we will invite you to choose consciously — however that looks for you.
In Summary: Buy Less. Buy Thoughtfully. Buy Locally.
This Black Friday season, let’s put the focus back where it belongs: supporting the people and places that make life better.
Not the billionaires.
Not the algorithms.
Not the corporations who treat the UK like a marketplace rather than a community.
Bonus Picture of Crackers for getting to the end of our Rant!
