While Black Friday is great for our pockets, with retailers offering up their wares at discounted prices, it hasn’t always been great for the environment. Encouraging people to buy products that they might not necessarily need, it can lead to premature obsolescence for goods that would otherwise last longer than the expedited upgrade cycle gives them credit for.
So this Black Friday, if you’re looking to be a bit green friendlier with your purchasing power, consider looking into sustainable and recyclable purchases. A new browser extension, Beagle, aims to make any such green-fingered deal hunt much easier by offering sustainable recommendations and alternatives to things you’re looking to buy.
Simply install Beagle, hit its extension button while browsing a retail site for your most wanted item, and it’ll scour its own database of eco-minded retailers to find an alternative merchant or product with superior green credentials.
From plastic-free floss to recyclable Nespresso coffee pods to solar power banks, Beagle uses “a blend of artificial intelligence and language recognition algorithms” to match users with a suitable product alternative.
“It’s fascinating to see which products are proving to be the most popular green and ethical alternatives for shoppers using The Beagle Button,” says Daniel Hemsley, co-founder of the Beagle extension.
“We are widening our options and reach every single day, so it’s great to see such a diverse range of products being chosen regularly by customers after they have been suggested by the button. It just goes to show that whatever you’re looking for, whether it be a sustainable laundry bin, cruelty-free make-up foundation, organic cotton jeans, or even an organic bamboo G-string, there is almost always a green option out there!
“The results of the how consumers are using the button so far have surpassed even our highest hopes. The click-throughs, the conversions, as well as the consumer and brand feedback has been fantastic. It just goes to show that the demand for sustainable shopping really is upon us.”
Within the extension’s settings, users can tweak their preferences based on “their values and what ‘Better’ means to them”, according to the press release. They’ll then be presented with “plastic free products, organic products, vegan and cruelty-free products, longer-lasting products, carbon-neutral products and products from minority owned companies”, depending on the parameters they set. All partner brands and retailers are picked based on five principles – that they aim to reduce emissions, waste and harmful chemicals, and that they aim to protect workers and animals.
If you want to find out more, and do your bit for planet Earth as well as your wishlist this Black Friday, visit https://joinbeagle.com/, and grab the extension here (opens in new tab).
More Black Friday deals in the US
- Amazon: 30% off 4K TVs, Fire TV Stick and more in the Black Friday sale (opens in new tab)
- AirPods Pro: on sale for $189.99 at Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Adidas: 50% off sportswear and shoes + free shipping (opens in new tab)
- Best Buy: up to 50% off Keurig coffee makers, 4K TVs, laptops and more (opens in new tab)
- Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $99.99 at Best Buy (opens in new tab)
- Christmas: lights, trees, and ornaments from $6.99 at Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Christmas pajamas: matching family sets from $14.99 at Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Clothing: up to 50% off coats, running shoes, and watches at Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Costco: up to $900 furniture, laptops, TVs, and jewelry (opens in new tab)
- Dell: up to $700 off the XPS 13, Inspiron, and Alienware (opens in new tab)
- DIY: 40% off power tools, leaf blowers, and more at Walmart (opens in new tab)
- DreamCloud: $200 off luxury mattresses + $399 free gifts (opens in new tab)
- Gifts under $30: books, toys, and cheap gift ideas at Amazon (opens in new tab)
- H&M: fashion gifts from $5.99 for men, women, and kids (opens in new tab)
- Home Depot: up to 40% off tools, grills, appliances and Christmas decor (opens in new tab)
- HP: laptops starting at $199.99 (opens in new tab)
- Instant Pot: from $84 at Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Keurig: up to 30% off single cup and carafe coffee makers at Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Layla: up to $900 off mattress bundles in the Black Friday event (opens in new tab)
- Lowe's: 50% off tools, appliances, and holiday decor (opens in new tab)
- Microsoft: save up to $400 on the Surface Pro 7 (opens in new tab)
- Nectar: $499 off mattresses + $399 in free gifts (opens in new tab)
- Nike: up to 40% off running shoes, hoodies, sweatpants, and more (opens in new tab)
- Nintendo Switch: latest stock updates on consoles and games (opens in new tab)
- Nordstrom: up to 40% off North Face, Adidas, UGG, Nike, and more (opens in new tab)
- Saatva: TechRadar exclusive - save $250 on luxury mattresses (opens in new tab)
- Samsung: Black Friday savings of up to $3,500 on 4K and 8K QLED TVs (opens in new tab)
- Shark vacuum: up to 15% off cordless and corded vacs at Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Target: massive deals on TVs, toys, Dyson, Keurig, and more (opens in new tab)
- Toys: discounts on LEGO, hoverboards and Barbie at Walmart (opens in new tab)
- TVs: smart Fire TVs from Amazon starting at $99.99 (opens in new tab)
- Walmart: big savings on TVs, cordless vacs, and more (opens in new tab)
- Wayfair: up to 50% off Christmas trees, decor, wreaths, and stockings (opens in new tab)
More Black Friday deals in the UK
- Amazon: up to 45% off Echo, Kindle and more for Black Friday (opens in new tab)
- Adidas: half-price trainers, tees, tracksuits and exercise gear (opens in new tab)
- Asda: offers on Lego, Nintendo Switch and vacuums - plus in-store exclusives
- Argos: lowest-ever prices for the LG C1 OLED TV and stocking fillers from £6 (opens in new tab)
- AO: OLED TVs from £799, up to £150 off Shark vacuums and appliance discounts (opens in new tab)
- Boots: 50% off fragrances, beauty and gift sets (opens in new tab)
- Currys: record low prices on OLED TVs, coffee machines and laptops (opens in new tab)
- Dell: save 35% off Inspiron, XPS and Alienware laptops (opens in new tab)
- eBay: get 20% off select clothing, electronics and homewares sellers (opens in new tab)
- Ebuyer: SSDs from £21.99, 44% off laptops and Razer gaming chairs for £279.99 (opens in new tab)
- EE: get a free Xbox Series S with select phone contracts starting from £29 (opens in new tab)
- Emma Sleep: up to 50% off mattresses in the biggest-ever sale for Black Friday (opens in new tab)
- Go Outdoors: 20% off clothing, camping gear and more for Black Friday (opens in new tab)
- JD Sports: trainers from Nike, Adidas and Puma at up to 50% off (opens in new tab)
- John Lewis: low prices on top electricals such as TVs, laptops and more with extended warranties (opens in new tab)
- Microsoft: save up to £450 on the Surface Pro 7 (opens in new tab)
- Nectar: get 45% off any mattress and up to 30% off bedding (opens in new tab)
- Nike: thousands of trainers, t-shirts, tracksuits and hoodies reduced by up to 40% (opens in new tab)
- Ninja: £70 off Ninja food processors and air fryers in the Black Friday sale (opens in new tab)
- Nintendo Switch: get a Nintendo Switch with Animal Crossing New Horizons for £279 (opens in new tab)
- Shark vacuums: up to £180 off cordless vacs in the Black Friday sale (opens in new tab)
- Simply Be: discounts of up to 50% on coats, jackets and cardigans (opens in new tab)
- Sky: Superfast broadband packages from £25, 50% off iPhone and Samsung plans (opens in new tab)
- Smyths Toys: early deals on Lego, Nerf and more
- Studio: up to 40% off electricals, Christmas decorations, furniture and appliances (opens in new tab)
- TVs: budget 4K smart TVs from only £159 (opens in new tab)
- Very: great discounts on Apple products, including AirPods and MacBook Pro (opens in new tab)
- Wayfair: save on furniture, rugs, desks and lighting (opens in new tab)