The shocking secret environmental impact of Black Friday

• Each year, the UK sends an estimated 900,000 extra parcels for Black Friday

• Just to ship parcels in boxes this Black Friday, we would have cut down an estimated 4,600 trees.

• Newly manufactured cardboard boxes for Black Friday would use as much energy to power 3186 homes for a month.

• Manufacturing new cardboard boxes for Black Friday sales could contribute an extra 614 tonnes of C02e.

While tempting Black Friday deals might be, there is a secret environmental impact to shopping online during this year’s sales.

Black Friday is famous for ridiculous discounts following Thanksgiving and it used to encourage people to start buying more leading up to the festive season. This holiday began in America but many brands, including those in the UK, have begun utilising this consumer-driven day to increase sales.

While many of us are more conscious of overconsumption, an estimated 900,000 extra parcels were sent out in 2022 over Black Friday weekend. It is likely we’ll see those kinds of levels in 2023.

According to reports, Black Friday online sales contribute approximately 386,243 tonnes of carbon emissions into the atmosphere each year. But this is only looking at the environmental impact of transport.

A study by Reuseabox has determined that if 900,000 parcels were delivered this Black Friday weekend, it would approximately contribute an extra 614 tonnes of carbon emissions. Just for being shipped in cardboard boxes.

Using the Reuseabox environmental impact tool calculations (and based on the weight, spec and distance travelled of an average e-commerce shipping box) if 900,000 boxes are newly manufactured and shipped for Black Friday sales, this would have the following environmental impact on the planet:

• 4,600 trees would need to be cut down to make the new boxes.

• 614 tonnes of CO2e released – equivalent to 975 seats on a return flight from London to NY

• 9 million kWh of energy used – enough to power 3,186 homes for a month.

• 133 million litres of water used – enough to fill 53 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Following Circular Economy principles, Reuseabox conducted a study with the University of Lincoln in 2019 and developed an environmental impact tool that proves that reusing cardboard boxes is much better for the environment than recycling.

So, what can we do?

While both companies and shoppers are becoming more aware of their carbon footprint, it is unlikely to stop people purchasing those deals over Black Friday weekend.

E-commerce businesses need to look into additional measures to reduce their carbon footprint whether that is opting for couriers using electric or hybrid vehicles, offsetting their and even considering using second-hand cardboard boxes instead of opting for newly manufactured ones.

Consumers need to consider carefully what they are purchasing over Black Friday weekend and if it is a necessary purchase or even a good deal. Choose brands that value sustainability and consider shopping locally to reduce emissions caused by shipping and packaging.

The World Counts reports that if everyone lived like the average American consumer, we would need 5.2 planets to support us. But we are barely able to protect the one planet that we have. And this urgently needs changing.