As Black Friday approaches, many people chase deals in search of happiness. Yet Black Friday rarely delivers lasting joy. Mindful shopping helps you focus on what truly improves your wellbeing, reduces waste, and protects the planet. Before you click “buy now”, consider whether that purchase will add real value to your life.
In a world where GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is still a major measurement of success, it’s worth remembering that human happiness shouldn’t be measured in the same way. Short of that initial shot of dopamine, scientific studies have shown that buying more things doesn’t necessarily equate to higher happiness levels – check out these seven scientific studies. While having more money may offer a level of security; beyond a certain amount (around £75,000 per year), it becomes less and less likely to add to your happiness level.
The Gross National Happiness index, in contrast to GDP, takes our wellbeing into consideration along with cultural diversity, ecological resilience and good governance. There are other measurements out there, but the big brands want to focus on GDP, because it’s all about the money.
How Brands Influence Your Buying Decisions
Marketers use clever tricks to make us think we need new things, tapping into our cave-people brains where we feel the need to keep up with society (buying the latest iphone), believing that something is exclusive (buy now while stocks last), or having you believe that it will enhance your survival/health/looks. Who has been suckered into buying the latest trainers because they’ll “make you run faster”?
We’re all susceptible to wild claims, greenwashing, and all other sorts of washing, but what we need to be doing is considering if we really need to consume more just because some clever businessperson coined the term “Black Friday”.
Choose Green Friday Over Impulse Spending
Last year we asked you to choose Green Friday over Black Friday, a concept our friends at ReAction Collective were sharing, where we shared their Citizen Fridays and the idea of collective agency.
This year, we’d love you to think about what makes you happy before you buy that shiny new item marked up as 50% off.
Try these tricks and see if it can make a difference to the way you feel.
Laura and Paola discuss how marketers tap into our “caveman” brains for Black Friday, and make us believe we need to buy new things using clever tactics.
Practical Tips for Mindful Shopping
- Think about whether you need an item BEFORE you see it listed as a Black Friday deal. If it was never on your radar before, it’s likely that you never really needed it. Take a beat before you make an impulse buy.
- Ask yourself “will I use this?” Is it relevant? Will it enhance my life? Can I do without it?
- Share the love – maybe a mate or someone you know has an item that you want to try out, but don’t want to buy yet. Can you do a kit swap?
- Try repairing before you buy new. There’s often plenty of life in the kit that we just discard. Try your hand at patching up and you might surprise yourself at how satisfying it is, while also giving your gear a new lease of life. Check out Pair Ups for trainer repairs and Snowdonia Gear Repair for all other kit.
- If you’re going to buy, buy it preloved. See our friends over at Preloved Sports, head to your local charity shop, or even check out Vinted to see if you can bag yourself a bargain.
- Get outside and go for a run! Keep away from the call of the consumer brands, and stay offline for longer. You’re far less likely to make an impulse buy, and you’ll appreciate nature instead of adding to its demise.
The Environmental Impact of Black Friday
If none of those tricks work for you, here’s some facts and figures worth considering.
- 80% of products bought at Black Friday end up in landfill, are incinerated or are recycled poorly
- Only 29% of electronic waste caused by Black Friday is recycled
- Last year’s Black Friday was expected to produce 429,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from product deliveries alone – that’s the same as 435 return flights from London to New York!
- 1.4 million tonnes of e-waste is sent to landfill every year.
- Black Friday spending in the UK averaged £258 per person in 2024, marking the highest per capita spending since before the pandemic.
Redefine Happiness this Black Friday
For more tips on how to buy less and enjoy nature more, check out all our toolkits on The Green Runners pages.