A study of 2,000 adults found 57% are sceptical about discounts offered by stores during the November sale, claiming it’s a ‘con’ by retailers to get people to buy more
Two thirds of Brits reckon Black Friday is a ‘con’ concocted by retailers to inflate sales.
A study involving 2,000 adults discovered that 57% are dubious about the discounts offered by stores during the November sale.
Over 4 in 10 claim they’ve spotted the same items on ‘sale’ during the event, cheaper at other times in the year. A fifth even say Black Friday discounts are rarely or never better than sales at other times of the year.
Shoppers suspect retailers employ tricks such as using ‘per cent’ banners without revealing the original price (52%) and flagging items as ‘limited stock’ to create urgency (50%). Consequently, 41% have no plans to do any Black Friday shopping this year.
The research was commissioned by Currys, following a 2023 report by consumer champions Which?, which found many deals from major retailers were cheaper six months either side of the event.
The tech giant, promising its 2024 Black Friday deals won’t have been cheaper in the last six months, is teaming up with broadcaster Angellica Bell to urge the UK retail industry to join them.
Angellica Bell stated: “The on-going campaign for retail transparency and fairness to the consumer is so important, especially at this time. Black Friday is supposed to be beneficial and cost-saving for people and I agree that it needs to be protected.”
The research also found that 55% of shoppers believe retailers hike ‘standard’ prices just before Black Friday, with electronics deemed the most likely to feature misleading discounts.
Ed Connolly, chief commercial officer at Currys, stated: “With the cost-of-living crisis still biting for families up and down the UK, we’re proud to be the first major retailer to commit to a minimum standard for Black Friday deals.”
“We’ll be implementing this rule across more than 3,000 deals on the biggest tech brands over the next five weeks.”
“We believe, without industry wide commitment to a transparent, minimum standard, there is a risk that trust erodes further and Black Friday will simply fizzle away.”
Those who do plan to hit the shops expect to spend up to £593 each, with Gen Z most likely to make a purchase. With a quarter of younger shoppers expecting to get a bargain.
