To protest against overconsumption and the Black Friday commercial operation, several associations carried out, on November 23, 2023, a strong action in front of the Les Halles shopping center in Paris. The Journal des Femmes was there. Narrative.
“We consume their exploitation.” As millions of people prepare to take advantage of Black Friday to make their biggest purchases of the year, on Thursday November 23, 2023, around twenty artists from the collective The noise that runs took over the Les Halles shopping center in Paris for a happening. The goal of the collective and the ten associations present? Denounce this commercial operation imported from Anglo-Saxon countries, protest against fast fashion to and challenge the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, through an artistic performance. “The ministry announced measures against brands like Shein and Zara at the beginning of the fall. We are approaching the end of the year, but no announcement has been made,”, deplores Margot Jaymond, advocacy manager at the Max Havelaar France association. Associations, including Alternatibas, Emmaüs France, Fashion Revolution France and Friends of the Earth, denounce the working conditions textile employees.
The workers, often young women or even children, are forced to work more than 90 hours a week for a salary. two to five times lower to their vital needs. “What’s behind the -50 or -60% reduction during Black Friday is the exploitation of all these people“, regrets the manager.
When fashion rhymes with overproduction
Beyond the action of November 23, 2023, the coalition is behind an entire week of mobilization against fast fashion. One hundred and fifty billion pieces of clothing are currently produced every year, an unsustainable rate for the planet. Poster campaign, publications on social networks… All means are good to make the government react. “Fashion is 10% of CO emissions2 in the world. It is up to the brands to take their responsibilities and if they do not do so, it is the government which must become aware “, calls Pierre Condamine, in charge of the overproduction campaign at Friends of the Earth. The associations are calling, among other things, for a cap on clothing production and a ban on overproduction practices. “We are denouncing a real environmental disaster.“, raises Julie Pasquet, co-founder of the Le bruit qui court collective. “This is a very serious subject”.