Jordanians reject Black Friday amid war on Gaza, shifting towards conscious consumerism

AMMAN — Jordanians are pushing back against the consumerist fervor of “Black Friday” and opting for a different approach as the final weekend of November looms.

Despite local rebranding of the event as “White Friday” in previous years, a significant number of citizens and shop owners are choosing to boycott the concept altogether this year. 

The backdrop of the ongoing aggression in Gaza has fuelled a widespread campaign urging consumers to abstain from purchasing products that support the occupation and the campaign extends to boycott concepts associated with the occupation. 

Many Jordanians and business owners are adopting alternative approaches, such as shifting sales days or renaming the events to distance themselves from the Black Friday tradition. Terms like “Huge Sale Day” and “Sale Weekend” are gaining popularity as alternatives, emphasising a departure from the imported consumerism linked to Black Friday.

A trend is emerging, with businesses pledging to donate a per centage of their sales to support the people of Gaza. 

As’ad Qawasmi, the representative of the clothing, footwear, and jewelry sectors at the Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC) told The Jordan Times that since the beginning of the aggression on Gaza, Jordanians have been in a “monitoring” state, resulting in a decline in sales over the past month.

Qawasmi hopes a potential reversal of this trend in the upcoming weekend due to discounts and sales. He added that several local manufacturers are actively supporting the “Support Local Campaign”, encouraging citizens to prioritise local products and businesses during this critical time.

Sharaf Hayajneh, furniture and appliances representative at ACC told The Jordan Times that boycotting the concept of Black Friday could adversely affect retailers. 

“The market has been slow for the past 45 days which is attributed to the aggression on Gaza,” Hayajneh added. 

However, he said that “Support Local Campaign” is helping local manufactures boost their sales. He noted that locally manufactured products are competitive in terms of prices and quality when compared with international products. 

In conversations with retailers and customers, a range of opinions emerged. Abu Usama, owner of a local furniture store, expressed her decision to rename the weekend sale, stating, “It’s essential to detach ourselves from the Black Friday concept, especially in these challenging times. We have decided to call it the ‘Unity Weekend Sale,’ emphasising solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Gaza.” 

Sami Mansour, a clothing retailer, opted to extend the duration of discounts instead of aligning with the traditional Black Friday dates. “We want to maintain a sense of normalcy for our customers while expressing our stance against injustice. Extending the sale over the entire week allows us to do that,” Mansour told The Jordan Times.

Mansour added that sales are “going downhill” since the aggression on Gaza. However, expenses remain high. “We barely got through the COVID-19 pandemic, and now the market is hit again,” he added. 

Customers, too, are echoing these sentiments. Laila Najiyeh, a shopper told The Jordan Times that she supports the boycott of products that support the occupation and the ideas the come from occupiers. 

“I appreciate that businesses are taking a stand and doing more than just selling products. It feels good to know that my purchases can contribute, even in a small way, to those in need,” Najiyeh added.