Concerns about crowded Black Friday as more Covid restrictions loom

Black Friday may cause extra crowds in the Dutch shopping streets on Friday, which is sensitive due to the recent coronavirus infections. Bargain hunters across the country can find lucrative offers at numerous stores on this day. This time, however, the situation is different from previous years.

Retail trade associations like RND and INretail called for promotions to be spread over several days as much as possible. Consumers are also advised to shop at quiet times. A spokesperson for INretail did not dare to make predictions but thought that the call would lead to fewer crowds. The industry needs to convey a responsible message to prevent additional restrictive measures for retailers as much as possible.

Black Friday came over from the United States a few years ago and was widely embraced. But there is now also a counter-movement that is gaining popularity. The charity Trees for All started Green Friday a few years ago, with support from various retail chains. Stores like Dille & Kamille have no special offers on Friday and call on people to go out in nature instead. Intratuin greens 1 square meter for every tree customers buy today.

Parcel deliverers will likely be very busy. PostNL expects peak crowds today and also around Cyber Monday. Many online retailers have been offering discounts all week. Bol.com, the largest webshop in the Netherlands, thinks that its sales around the promotion will even be slightly higher than last year. But it did not mention exact numbers. The company is trying to have all orders delivered on time, i.e., before the holidays.

Those looking for Black Friday sales must be careful not to fall for fake offers. The Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets warned about this earlier this week. Research by the regulator showed that online stores still regularly stunt with offers that seem better than they actually are. Consumers are advised always to ask themselves whether they would like a product for the price offered.