{"id":163408,"date":"2020-11-17T12:13:48","date_gmt":"2020-11-17T12:13:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theindustry.fashion\/shoppers-urged-to-look-beyond-big-box-retailers-this-black-friday-as-shopethicalinstead-returns\/"},"modified":"2021-08-06T12:09:06","modified_gmt":"2021-08-06T12:09:06","slug":"shoppers-urged-to-look-beyond-big-box-retailers-this-black-friday-as-shopethicalinstead-returns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theindustry.fashion\/shoppers-urged-to-look-beyond-big-box-retailers-this-black-friday-as-shopethicalinstead-returns\/","title":{"rendered":"Shoppers urged to look beyond big box retailers this Black Friday as #ShopEthicalInstead returns"},"content":{"rendered":"

The UK\u2019s small business community is urging shoppers to put ethics before excess<\/strong> this festive season by buying from small companies with an ethical and environmental focus, instead of the big retail giants.<\/p>\n

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The call, from ethical small business membership organisation Ethical Hour, is being supported by the return of the #ShopEthicalInstead campaign, which seeks to be seen as a positive alternative to Black Friday for shoppers<\/strong> who don\u2019t want to boycott the annual event but are keen to avoid the \u201cexcessive mass consumerism at this time of year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Live now, the campaign will run across social media until Christmas Eve and includes an online marketplace, digital advent calendar which suggests ethical and sustainable gifts<\/strong> and a social media challenge to help small business owners tell their story and showcase their products.<\/p>\n

Since 1 November 2020, the #ShopEthicalInstead hashtag has already been used over 541,000 times across social media<\/strong> by small businesses and their supporters showcasing their products, recommending businesses to support and sharing their purchases.<\/p>\n

It comes at a critical time for the UK\u2019s independent business community which has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has forced many small businesses to close for a second lockdown<\/strong> while others remain open but with significantly reduced footfall and sales.<\/p>\n

UK consumers appear well-inclined to lend their support to the cause, with a recent poll of Ethical Hour\u2019s 20,000-strong Twitter audience suggesting that 74% of people were planning to support small businesses this holiday season<\/strong> and 25% saying they would shop from small businesses exclusively.<\/p>\n

Ethical Hour founder Sian Conway, who started the #ShopEthicalInstead campaign in 2017, said:\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s incredibly empowering to bring small businesses together through a campaign that strives to shift attention away from the shopping frenzy of Black Friday<\/strong>, to independent businesses offering gorgeous ethical products.<\/p>\n

\u201cI urge shoppers to buy mindfully this year and support independent businesses that rely on the Christmas period to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shoppers can discover an array of ethical Christmas gifts through #ShopEthicalInstead by:<\/p>\n