Alternative Black Friday round up – 2023
Melanie May | 24 November 2023 | News
It’s Black Friday, but not everyone is doing it the same way. Here’s a round up of the brands that are using it to give back in some way this year.
Paddy & Scott’s fund meals not deals this Black Friday weekend
This Black Friday weekend, Suffolk-based coffee company Paddy & Scott’s is taking a different approach. Instead of participating in the price slashing frenzy, they have decided to donate 10 school meals for every order made in their online shop. This initiative is part of their Lunch Box scheme, which provides school meals to children in coffee-growing regions so they can focus on their studies without worrying about where their next meal will come from.
Humes Outfitters does Give Back Friday
Family owned country fashion retailer Humes Outfitters are doing ‘Give Back Friday’ instead of Black Friday. This means that customers will receive a charity cookbook and £10 will be donated to charity on their behalf. Humes Outfitters supports a number of charities including RHET and The Country Trust, and has also volunteered with them.
Advertisement
Montane supports Fix the Fells
Montane is supporting Fix the Fells by donating its Black Friday marketing budget to the work of the charity’s volunteers, and if people add a donation to Fix The Fells on their Montane purchase this weekend, Montane will double their donation, up to a cap of £5,000. The money donated will go towards the maintenance of upland Lakeland fells, in turn helping to combat the damaging effects of erosion in the region. Fix the Fells maintain over 344 upland paths, covering 410 miles (661km). Montane has been giving back on Black Friday since 2019.
Osprey introduces Green Friday project
Osprey has introduced a community-centred Green Friday project for 2023 which allows outdoors people to vote for the conservation projects they wish it to support this year. Osprey’s Green Friday initiative will run from 23-28 November, during which it will offer a 20% discount on selected products to its customers, and donate 20% of every sale purchase to support The European Outdoor Conservation Association’s conservation efforts. Osprey also lets its customers decide which of its conservation projects will receive its support.
SEE ALSO: British Heart Foundation invites donated items by Freepost ahead of Black Friday (9 November 2020)
Keela supports Cash for Kids
For the fifth consecutive year, Scottish outdoor brand Keela will make a cash donation equating to the value usually set aside for Black Friday discounts. 15% of all sales (excludes returns/credits from sales) generated over the ten-day period will be given to the Cash for Kids charity to support their work across the year.
Sea Change gives double donations
Shop with family wine business Sea Change between 20 and 27 November, and its marine charity partners will receive double donations. Usually, for every 75cl bottle of Sea Change wine sold, it contributes a minimum of 25 Euro Cents to its charity partners, and since its launch in 2018, has raised in excess of €400,000 for them. Partners include Sea-Changers and Ocean Generation.
SEE ALSO: Small businesses turn Black Friday into good and fundraise for charity (22 November 2022)
Pentagon Play supports YoungMinds
For every purchase on Black Friday, school playground specialist Pentagon Play is giving a 10% donation to YoungMinds.
Salcome Brewery donates 10% of profits to Devon Environment Foundation
Salcombe Brewery Co has announced that it will be donating 10% of the profits from its Black Friday online sales to the Devon Environment Foundation, which provides grants for grassroots projects that regenerate nature.
St Wilfrid’s Hospice offers ‘sustainable alternative’
According to the Sussex Express, from Black Friday to Cyber Monday, Sussex and Hampshire’s St Wilfrid’s Hospice is offering ‘a sustainable alternative’ across all 12 of its shops in the region. The charity will be featuring a selection of offers for £1 on warm winter clothing, party wear, and seasonal sparkle, as well as its regular affordable pre-loved items.
Lucy & Yak donates to Fior Di Loto Foundation
For the sixth year in a row, this Black Friday Lucy & Yak will be donating to the Fior Di Loto Foundation, which provides education for girls living in the villages surrounding Pushkar in Northwest India, and continues to support them throughout university and beyond.
This year Lucy & Yak asked the girls to share some drawings of things that make them happy. Its design team then took these sketches and turned them into the Fior Di Loto Original Dungaree which is available in GOTs Certified Organic Cotton Twill. 100% of the profits from the Fior Di Loto dungaree will go to the Fior Di Loto Foundation. Plus, between 21st and 27th November, half of Lucy & Yak’s profit across all products will be donated to the Fior Di Loto foundation.
Divine Chocolate donates to Kuapa Kokoo for orders over £30
This year for Black Friday, for every order over £30, Divine Chocolate is donating £3 to Kuapa Kokoo, the cocoa farmers who own Divine, and giving the customer free delivery.
WUKA to give 1% of sales to Choose Love
This Black Friday, WUKA is teaming up with Choose Love. 1% of all sales on the day will be donated to refugee and humanitarian aid projects.
Rapanui says Let’s Take Back Friday
Rapanui is doing Taking Back Friday ‘so we can build a future together that we all feel good about’. If anyone has worn-out Rapanui products or 100% cotton clothing from any brand, they can send it to Rapanui to make it into new products. The brand will provide store credit in return.
Reuse Network and Buy Nothing New Day
Buy Nothing New Day is Reuse Network’s alternative to Black Friday.
Charities suggest shopping through easyfundraising
Another option – lots of charities, including The Loss Foundation, are suggesting that people shop using easyfundraising this weekend, so that their bargains raise donations for good causes.
Double your donation on Black Friday (weekend)
Buy once, give twice. That’s the theme of Choose Love’s alternative to Black Friday this year.
“All items purchased on the Choose Love shop this Black Friday weekend only, will be doubled up to $100,000 thanks to the Gates Foundation”. Products available include a child’s coat, hot meal, and warm winter clothing.
You can buy items online but you can also visit the physical Choose Love shop at 57 Carnaby Street, London, W1F 9QF, which is open until 24 December.
Choose Love is “a shop like no other – where you can buy essential supplies for refugees and displaced people across the world. From you, or in the name of a loved one, everything you buy goes straight to those who need it most.”
- Black Friday: brands using the day to do good (24 November 2022)
- Independents say no to Black Friday and support charities instead (25 November 2021)
- How some retailers are using Black Friday for fundraising and social good (25 November 2015)
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.