With Black Friday set to be one of the biggest shopping days of 2018, an ethical UK online retailer has announced its annual feel good initiative in partnership with a local charity.
Ethical Superstore, which is headquartered in the North East is putting a different spin on the popular discount day, pledging to donate essential goods to Newcastle West End Foodbank for every order over £30 made between Tuesday 20 November and Tuesday 27 November.
For the fourth consecutive year, Ethical Superstore is continuing its charitable campaign with one of the busiest foodbanks in the UK, Newcastle West End Foodbank which collected over 106 tonnes of food in 2017 alone from individuals, supermarkets, manufacturers and other local businesses, helping to feed over 10,000 people.
Since the campaign began in 2015, over 7,000 ethical household and grocery products have been donated to the foodbank from the week-long discount incentive and last year accounted for over 3,200 of these products, worth in excess of £5,000 – making it the most successful to date.
With 20% off site-wide, Ethical Superstore will donate goods that have been specifically chosen by the foodbank, including essentials such as pasta, sauces, rice and soap for all orders exceeding £30.
The Black Friday offer is an addition to a number of charities which the ethical retailer actively supports all year round. Nearly £40,000 has been raised through customer checkout donations for various causes in 2018 already such as Disasters Emergency Committee, RSPCA, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Amnesty International and including Newcastle West End Foodbank.
Peter Leatherland, online sales manager at Gateshead-based Ethical Superstore, said: “Now in its fourth year, our Food Bank Friday donation scheme has helped thousands of families in the region who depend on the foodbank during difficult times. We are proud to work alongside our customers to support a regional cause we’re passionate about.
“The message of Black Friday is often perceived as negative but we believe our ethical approach can be a driving force for good in the lead up to Christmas – shoppers are still able to grab a bargain and give something back at the same time.
“With a UK-wide presence, we hope our campaign helps to drive awareness of emergency food assistance charities throughout the country and how we can all come together to relieve the plight of less fortunate families.”
John McCorry, chief executive at Newcastle West End Foodbank, said: “Black Friday is one of the busiest days in the shopping calendar and it’s easy for us to forget the daily struggles that many of us face. The West End of Newcastle is populated with large areas of poverty so we always encourage and welcome any form of support.
“More and more families are being forced to use foodbanks with the number set to rise following the introduction of Universal Credit, a new benefits system, coming into force as many people waiting weeks for their payments adding to other financial pressures.
“It’s fantastic that we can continue our partnership with Ethical Superstore having being chosen as the sole beneficiary for the fourth year. It’s through initiatives and kindness like this from local businesses and our volunteers that we can keep doing what we do.”
Ethical Superstore has become an essential resource for Britain’s growing number of ethically and environmentally aware consumers. Established in 2006, the site allows consumers to buy Fairtrade, organic and eco-friendly merchandise and currently features over 5,000 products.
For more information on the Black Friday offer, visit: https://www.ethicalsuperstore.com/giving-on-black-friday-rather-than-taking/