Black Friday once marked one of the most dependable spikes in the retail calendar. But research conducted by Keep Britain Tidy has revealed 16.6 million UK adults (31%) say they ‘hate’ Black Friday, and 14.5 million (27%) would join a boycott against it. Half of the adults polled believe the event drives waste and unnecessary carbon emissions, and trust in the ‘deals’ available is also waning. A 2025 YouGov survey found that 63% of people felt discouraged by what they saw as misleading or confusing discounts during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Only 7% say presents are the highlight of the season, with 63% saying that spending time with loved ones is the main appeal.