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By offering huge discounts, Black Friday, arrived from the United States in 2013, is now followed by the majority of French brands. In opposition, hundreds of banners have launched a movement to promote more responsible consumption.
Make Friday Green Again . Since arriving in France in 2013, the Black Friday , which will take place this year on Friday, November 29 is not only happy. Only six years after its launch in France, hundreds of brands have joined together in this collective diverting the campaign slogan of Donald Trump . The goal? Say no to overconsumption and promote more responsible consumption of producers and the environment.
The co-founder of the eco-responsible footwear brand Faguo behind the movement, Nicolas Roar, decided to give up Black Friday after feeling " uncomfortable " doing so for two years . " 60% of French people have consumer goods never used. Faced with this statistic, we realized that this day had a real social and environmental cost and we therefore want our community to sort, repair, sell or recycle what does not interest them anymore, "he says.
Surprised by the success of his collective which now has more than 500 members, he is delighted with such a mobilization " We are overwhelmed by what we started. At first, it was 20 brands coming together, "today, Mr. Roar claims more than 500 brands in his community," there is a small wind that goes against the big wave, "he says. Émoi Émoi, Bergamot, Naturalia or Nature et Découvertes belonging to the Fnac Darty group, one of the big participants in Black Friday ... The collective can rely on small and big brands concerned about their environmental impact. With a presence on social networks and a resumption in the Anglo-Saxon press, the movement has exported and also has some foreign brands in its ranks.
In coherence with our values and our actions NATURALIA joins the action #MAKEFRIDAYGREENAGAIN launched by @FAGUO_FR. This group already federates more than 300 brands engaged for a reasoned and responsible consumption. # Mfga #vrackfriday #zerodechet pic.twitter.com/Ul9OBwRUfA
NATURALIA France (@_NATURALIA) November 13, 2019But while some are created, others lead the mobilization since 2017, when Black Friday began to take a significant place in the French economy. This is the case of the collective Green Friday , founded by Envie 2 years ago, and which today has nearly 200 organizations. It is with the same observation of " degradation of the planet, products difficult to repair and planned obsolescence " that Jean-Paul Raillard, Envie's president, had the idea of " opposing the green to black ".
Awareness and associations
For these activists, there is no question of blocking shopping centers or demonstrating, the action goes through several operations: assistance to associations, awareness and organization of events with customers. Thus, every Black Friday, some stores donate 15% of their turnover of the day to three associations - Stop the planned obsolescence, the Friends of the Earth, Ethics on the label and Zero Waste -, organize workshops " Do It Yourself " and object repairs or " conferences " to educate consumers about citizen buying and the impact of production on the world.
" We do not try to make consumers feel guilty or stop Black Friday, we are not on radical solutions ," says Raillard. " We are trying to act in two areas: encourage re-use and rethink the ecodesign of products ."
Involved in the field of circular economy on a daily basis, the Envie Foundation benefits from the notoriety of Black Friday, this " very popularized " day, as a sounding board for their actions. " This is a key moment to say stop at this type of consumption, to educate all citizens to a responsible consumption that can not be done compulsively at given times of the year, " says Jean-Paul Raillard .
The other approach is political. Envie's proposals take place in the bill on the fight against waste and the circular economy that will be examined in the National Assembly in December. Mr. Raillard will be invited by the members, after having been by the senators, to propose devices.
" We have put forward several ideas such as lowering repair costs with a repair fund or lowering VAT on repairs so that consumers are not put off by the latter, " he explains . between buying nine and repair, consumers are leaning towards the second choice . "
Three days before the launch of Black Friday, Secretary of State for the Brown Transition Poirson, called on the French to " come out of a deadly economy and a little absurd ". For Elisabeth Borne, the Minister of Ecology, " there is no question of blaming anyone ". We must " continue to convince the French to consume otherwise, " said the French Minister at the launch of a campaign to promote the extension of the life of objects.
" Black Friday is the old world "
"The more we consume, the more impact we have. This is why we see actors boycott the Black Friday, "analysis Pascale Hébel, Director of Consumer Affairs and Business at Credoc (Research Center for the study and observation of living conditions). However, the phenomena that allow " people to buy frenetically without thinking " still have a bright future ahead of them. " We have not changed our economic model, Black Friday is the old world. The model that drives consumption is bizarre today, citizens expect change on environmental degradation . According to an Ipsos poll conducted in September 2019 for Le Monde , the environmental cause has become the main " preoccupation of the French ", before the purchasing power.
Often cited as an example, the American company Patagonia is a pioneer for its environmental positions. For nearly 10 years, the brand boycotts Black Friday in the United States by returning its profits to environmental protection associations. The firm even went so far as to make ads not to buy its own products. " In today's business world, it's the first that succeeds the best. It's the companies that inspire others. They think long term. The environmental cause is growing so more and more boycotts. But on the other hand, it must be known, for the image, otherwise it is useless, "Ms. Hébel analysis.
Even if the boycott of the event grows, it is not possible for everyone. A low-income family can not afford to miss such promotions. " Buying cheaper products, some need that, " says the specialist, " so there are still some of the sellers who will continue to survive by doing Black Friday every year and breaking prices, because they have no choice to buy at this time .
Overconsumption?
The positioning of Black Friday, a few weeks of Christmas, limits the phenomenon of overconsumption. " We are on the purchase of opportunity, " said Marc Lolivier, General Manager of the Federation e-commerce and distance selling (Fevad). " I think most people plan to buy Christmas presents during Black Friday ." According to Mr. Lolivier, those who buy during Black Friday will not repeat the purchase during the holiday season .
" Do not make people feel guilty when they buy on Black Friday, " says the general manager. " We see that the consumer is ready to buy gifts from the circular economy ," he says based on a study of Médiamétrie unveiled Thursday, November 21. Buyers are more interested in products from the circular economy (67%, up 2 points compared to 2018), according to Jamila Yahia-Messaoud, director of the institute's "consumer insights" department.
According to estimates from Fevad, from Friday, November 29 to Monday, December 2 (date of Cyber Monday, another day of promotions), sales, only online, on the sites of the panel of the federation will represent 1.7 billion dollars. euros. They could reach 6 billion euros, any means of distribution combined, estimates a study published by RingCentral. " It will be very interesting to see who will take a stand. If I was advising companies I would tell them to do thoroughly like Patagonia, "concludes Pascale Hébel.