Let’s get straight to it: we think Black Friday is rubbish.

It’s a shopping frenzy that’s all about pushing you to buy stuff you don’t need, and all that stuff creates waste. A lot of waste. In fact, 80% of Black Friday purchases end up in the trash, along with the plastic packaging that’s choking our planet. That’s the harsh reality of these sales events.

But we get it—cost of living pressures are real, and these sales can feel like a helping hand when we need it most. But here's the thing: more stuff equals more waste. More sales? More waste. Simple as that.

The numbers don’t lie.

  • Deliveries from Black Friday sales in the UK alone are set to generate over 429,000 metric tons of CO₂. That’s about the same emissions as 435 return flights between New York and London.
  • Turns out, 98% of Black Friday sales don’t deliver bigger discounts. A 2023 investigation found only 2% of offers were actually at their lowest price.

As a company dedicated to eliminating waste, supporting this consumerist frenzy just doesn’t sit right with us. We’ve spent years removing pollution from oceans, rivers and beaches, and we can’t in good conscience encourage the kind of overconsumption that fuels these sales events.

But we also know things are tough for a lot of people right now. So, we’ve decided to flip the script on Black Friday.

 

Here’s our proposal:

[note: this offer has expired. Check back next Black Friday]
This Black Friday, we’re not trying to convince you to buy more. In fact, we’re asking you to buy less—but with more impact. Instead of overhyped deals and fake scarcity, we’ve created an offer that’s truly good for both you and the planet:

  • 10% off all Zero Co Starter Packs and refills.
  • Double your impact: For every product sold this weekend, we’ll remove 20 water bottles’ worth of waste from our waterways.

That’s it. No doorbusters. No lightning deals. No compromise.



Why this matters.

Over the last four years, our cleanup crew have removed over 45 million water bottles’ worth of waste from our oceans, rivers and beaches. Every purchase this weekend will help us clean up more, without creating more waste.

That Laundry Starter Pack you’ve had your eye on? It doesn’t just reduce plastic waste at home—it funds the removal of 100 water bottles’ worth of waste at our next cleanup.



A mindful approach.


Before you buy anything this weekend, take a moment to think about the impact of your purchases, whether it’s from us or anyone else. If you’re ready to switch to better basics, go for it! But if you don’t need anything right now? Skip it. We’re not here to pressure you. We’ll be ready when you are.


Want to learn more about mindful shopping and its impact? We recommend:


We’re all about making smart, mindful choices that help both you and the planet. So, if you need something, shop with us. If you don’t? We’ll be here when you do.

That's the honest truth about Black Friday at Zero Co.