Anyone who has so far succeeded in blocking out the early preparations for the end of the year will be wrenched from their reverie come the end of this week, as the marketing monster of Christmas consumerism roars again. Initially just an Americanism, Black Friday has spread to Europe where retailers go into hyperdrive to flog their wares.
It can't be called "traditional" unless that refers to trying every trick in the book to convince shoppers to part with their cash for gadgets they never needed before. If the dreadful date signifies anything, it's the season for opening your wallet and fetishising material without questioning what it's all about.
Even worse, what is billed as the calendar climax of bargain hunting doesn't even have such great deals, with consumer rights organisation Test Achats warning that Belgian buyers face an onslaught of ostensible deals that give the impression of far bigger discounts than are actually being offered.
The prevailing tactic is to whip up consumer craving by advertising reductions too big to be missed. This often boils down to buying a perceived bargain rather than the product itself.
If I sound a bit grouchy about an event that no one is obliging me to take part in, it's not just stick-in-the-mud stubbornness; the environmental consequences of unrestrained overconsumption are staggering. The spending splurge is part of a wilfully wasteful culture that is costing the earth – though not where we will see it.
Fortunately the rush to indulge impulse buying hasn't been taken up by all brands, with numerous Brussels stores taking a stand against what is increasingly seen as a profligately decadent trend that doesn't belong in Belgium's retailscape. The alternative "local Fridays" puts regional businesses in the spotlight. Meanwhile, other shops will take an even stronger stand and remain resolutely closed to make a point about irresponsible consumer habits.
Will you be taking a stand this Friday? Let @Orlando_tbt know.
Belgium in Brief is a free daily roundup of the top stories to get you through your coffee break conversations. To receive it straight to your inbox every day, sign up below:
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