The mad grab of Black Friday is in full effect, but not all Toronto businesses are choosing to participate in the annual day of discounts.
Local gift shop Scout has announced to customers that, unlike previous years, they will not be offering any of the price slashers or door-crashers that are prompting exccessive consumption and unsafe crowding at malls.
Instead, the shop has renamed this Black Friday as Give Back Friday, and has partnered with Food Banks Canada for the event.
"We've always felt a pressure to participate in Black Friday deals even though it really does more harm than good for a small business like ours,” said Scout owner, Leah Eyles.
"This pandemic has really shone a light on food insecurity in Canada, so we've partnered with Food Banks Canada because we believe everyone should have the right to food."
Scout says that 10 per cent of all net sales made over the Black Friday weekend will go towards the Food Banks Canada, an organization dedicated to fighting food scarcity across the country.
Pointing to the 39% increase in Canadians who experienced food insecurity in the first two months of the pandemic, particularly in low-income and BIPOC communities, Scout is urging customers to avoid "impulsive, unnecessary purchases".
The independent gift shop, which opened on Roncesvalles in 2011 and has since expanded with a second store in Leslieville, is not the only one that has opted out of offering Black Friday deals.
The shop Uncle Otis, known for its high-end menswear, announced several weeks ago that it would be skipping the sale, instead urging customers to support small local busineses year-round.
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