Black Friday: Why it is time we dropped this most egregious of American imports - Ismail Mulla

Those sort of scenes are less commonplace. Not least because of the bad press that retailers attracted over these ugly scenes. People here take a dim view of consumerism trumping all. There’s also the ever-growing trend of online shopping, accelerated by the pandemic.

But Black Friday is still here with us. Except it’s not just one day anymore. Rather retailers are choosing to spread out the discounts. Or are they?

Consumer champion Which? Found that nine out of 10 Black Friday deals last year were cheaper or the same price over the previous 12 months.

It has issued a warning that the “vast majority” of so-called offers were “misleading”. This comes after shoppers spent an estimated £13.3bn on Black Friday deals in 2023.

For example John Lewis claimed it was offering the Garmin Venu 2S smartwatch for £294 with a saving of £90, despite Which? Finding that it had not cost £384 at any time over the previous year. The price also did not revert to £384 in the six months after Black Friday.

Perhaps they decided to continue to be generous for the six months after the sale. After all, a John Lewis spokeswoman did say: “In a highly competitive and dynamic market, our customers can find brilliant offers with us all year round.”

It’s not just John Lewis, there are countless other retailers also making claims that simply do not add up.

Which? Magazine editor Harry Rose says this is a reminder that shoppers “should not feel pressured to splash out on Black Friday purchases as those deals are usually repeated, if not beaten, at other times of the year”.

But that is exactly what Black Friday is and has always been about…pressure. The pressure to be involved in the clamber. The pressure not to miss out on the latest purchase. The pressure to get a supposedly once in a lifetime deal that will free you of all woes. Pressure created by the constant bombardment of adverts on the TV.

As this study by Which? shows, it is all just a giant con trick. Shoppers need to be aware of it and the sooner we ditch this ghastly American import the better.

The counter argument to all of this is that the web allows people to seek out the best deal possible. But as we know not everyone has access to a computer or the know-how to operate one.

It’s also worth reconsidering our thirst for consumerism. This plastic, throwaway lifestyle is not sustainable. Not for the planet, not for people’s mental health and certainly not for our wallets.

Spare a thought also for the independent retailer on the high street, who is lost in the sea of noise made by the big boys around Black Friday. They are the ones that so desperately need our support. For John Lewis, shifting a few extra smartwatches this month is some extra digits on a balance sheet, for the coffee roaster down the street selling a bag of beans could be make or break.

That’s why we need to cut through the noise and be more considerate when making purchases.

Talking about considerate purchases, it was interesting to read a survey that found more than two-thirds of people who have experienced card and phone payment problems in the past six months say this has made them more likely to carry cash.

Just over a fifth, 22 per cent, of people surveyed had experienced card and phone payment issues in the past six months, with 68 per cent saying this has made them more inclined to carry coins and banknotes, according to KPMG UK.

Which begs the question, why do some shops insist on forcing cashless on people. Even as a Millennial I can see the absurdity of physical money.

Imagine if a store’s payment terminals stop working, or if there is a heightened risk of fraud.

Little wonder that even younger generations still find themselves turning to cash. KPMG’s research showed around 52 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds said they use cash at least once a week.

That’s why we need to protect cash and not foist cashless on everyone, everywhere.