Beyond the price tag: what’s really at stake, tips for shopping smarter, and inspiration for change.

The origins of sales

Let's go back to the Victorian period. In 1866 the word “sale” found a new meaning and began to also be used when selling goods at a lower price than usual. A few years later, on the 24th of September 1869, due to a failed strategy to manipulate gold supply, the whole market collapsed, driving stocks down to more than 20% and leaving many investors ruined. This day is referred to as Black Friday.

In today's world, the Black Friday is an event that many people have learnt to look forward to. Be it for the thrill of bargains or financial necessity, we witness insane discounts, crowds queuing in front of the stores, folks fighting over goods, and other highbrows raising scenes that might leave you wonder what happened to our modern world...

In the beginning though, having discount periods like winter and summer sales seemed like a good idea, a mean to an end: liquidate stocks to make money and room for the next collection. Overproducing would be avoided as much as possible because sales meant less or even no profits for brands. For consumers who couldn't afford full price products it was an opportunity, knowing what you need and where and when
to get it. 

As E-commerce gained more traction, rules changed. Price drop started to emerge more and more out of
the blue, flash sales, exclusive discounts, and mid-season sales became the norm in a highly competitive
environment. However, the race for low price drove brands to a harsh reality : it's not sustainable.

Shoppers are less likely to come back since they're just looking out for a better deal. In order to maintain
retail profits, corners have to be cut somewhere, and as you may have already guessed, it took a toll along the supply chain. From a consumer's point of view, many adopted the “why shop full price when I
know it's going to be on sale soon” mentality, shifting views on what a fair price genuinely is and promoting a “buy now, think later” attitude.
Chasing the cheapest fare have become an obsession on both retailers and consumers parts, causing deep environmental and social damages along the way.

Keys figures - waste, pollution, overconsumption, strain on production chains

• In 2024, Black Friday has hit a new sale record, reaching 74.4 billions of dollars (+5% compared to 2023).
• Over 60% of transactions were made via mobile devices.
• Originated from the United States, the Black Friday madness expended to over 129 participating countries, becoming a worldwide event.
• Total USA consumer credit card debt exceeded $1 trillion in 2023.
• Germany stands out with an average spending of €317 per habitant, the highest amount in Europe (2024).
• 80% of products sold end up in landfills or incinerated after a very short life, or even unused.
• Black Friday discounts drive customers to discard electronic appliances, like the 5.3 billions of phones thrown away in 2022. The event is largely contributing to the annual 1.4 millions tonnes of electronic waste.
• Transport - Last year (2024), Forbes reported that "1.2 million tons of CO2 would be emitted by trucks transporting Black Friday packages to warehouses and stores around Europe. That’s 94% more than in an average week."
• In perspective, Black Friday deliveries in the UK emitted the same amount of greenhouse gas as 435 London – New York return flights.
• A whooping 143% surge in products return, which increase the carbon footprint of the item as returned goods must be transported back to the original warehouse. There, they will be inspected, cleaned, and wrapped up in a new packaging. Another cheaper solution for retailers is to send the product directly to
  landfills!
• The workers enabling the shopping frenzy are pushed to their limits to keep up with the hysterical demand. From production to warehouse and delivery, these often low-income employee face even more exploitation and health risks.
• Amazon, the dominant E-commerce platform with over 30% of all Black Friday online sales globally, has seen its employees going on strike five years in a row for Black Friday, highlighting labour abuses.

Why price tags matter

If it is well documented that cheap equals exploitation along the chain, be it human, environmental or both, the reverse isn't so clear. Quality has long been associated with a higher price point, but nowadays the frontier is quite blurry. Prices have increased for just about everything and it is interesting to note a couple of phenomenons:
In the real of luxury brands, customers have been left with a sour taste watching prices reaching obscene numbers, while service and quality stayed the same, or even decreased. Shoes, bags, belts, and other luxury goods from fashion houses are being scrutinized and sometimes exposed by unhappy customers, who lament the lack of quality, specially compared to previous version. We can also think about the Dior
case, where Italian police investigations found that their bag priced at $2600 cost as little as $57 to be made.

For regular brands, it is not rare to manipulate pricing to make it seems like they are offering a big discount. As sales seems to be an unavoidable step in a garment's life, an inflated price tag to begin with appears as a solution for retailers to drive profits. To the expense of mislead consumers indeed. Since the beginning of our journey with Lotta Ludwigson, we have set transparency as a standard, and firmly believe it is the way to go. Among sharing about our materials, factories, social project and even business life insights, we have included a price break down for our pieces.

Making the unseen visible, tending to the special appreciations and relationships across the loop, from makers to wearer.

How to actually make the best deal and reflection on “affordability”

We are not going to beat around the bush, the “best deal” has nothing to do with the price tag. If you want to save money on things remember: the best deal is the one you can truly afford financially and mentally. Going above budget for something can put strain on your finances as well as on your mind, you may end up worrying about upcoming payments, stressing about wearing, caring, or storing whatever you bought, and ultimately regretting doing so. During those big sales events, marketers work hard to grab shopper's attention, discount building ahead of the date, incentive, email campaigns and giant adds, it's everywhere! In today's challenging economic
environment everything is made to close the deal and it can be difficult to resist, as data show 63% of people are making impulse purchase.

The best way to avoid unnecessary troubles and discount codes drunkenness, is to shop mindfully. Whether your budget is big or small, it is always worth it to carefully think about what you already own and differentiate among needs and wants. Planning ahead allows room for clear decision-making and you can then shop consciously.

Alternatives

In the world of conscious and ethical fashion, discounts are by essence pretty rare but can pop in from time to time on a special occasion. Rest assured however that you will not find yourself staring at a -70% tacky label, because it is simply unrealistic for sustainable design and making.

A study by PA Consulting has found that 86% of consumer expect brands to play an active role in the change towards better social and environmental conditions : “Price still matters, but it’s not the only driving factor. Today’s consumers gravitate toward brands that understand them, bring joy to daily life, and stand for something greater.” Engaging against such wasteful and delirious events like the Black Friday is the purpose of countermovements, namely, Green Friday and Blue Friday are aiming to raise awareness against unsustainable shopping habits and promote positive practices. From boycott and fund-raising to dedicating the day to spending time in Nature, forward-thinking people join effort take shape under several forms. Here are some inspiring example:

BlueCity, a circular economy hub in Rotterdam, is partnering with The Swapshop for their 2025 F* Black Friday campaign. On November 29th, they are turning the old Tropicana wave pool into a circular department store. People are invited to join in to discover a selection of sustainable brands for various activities like swap, repair, upcycling workshop and more!

Asket: The Swedish brand closed down its online store and kept the physical one open exclusively for repairs.

Patagonia: Leading anti Black Friday campaign since 2011, the outdoor brands remind its customers to: Buy quality, shop used, Care and repair.

Rei: The US outdoor gear brand decided to pay its 15,000 employees to spend the day outside and rejuvenate, advocating for “nature therapy” over “retail therapy”.

Lucy & Yak: Since 2018, the clothing brand is supporting the Fior Di Loto Fundation in Northwest India, in its mission to sending girls to school.

At Lotta Ludwigson we are standing true to our core values, thus there will be no Black Friday discount.

We invite our valued customers to pause, reflect, and hopefully take a deep breath before the end of the year celebrations. Please keep in mind that he best deal is the one able to profits to all parties: wearer, makers, and Earth. And as the saying goes: Buy good, buy once.