The ministry’s ‘do not buy’ campaign caused a crisis

In France, the Environment Ministry’s anti-procurement campaign received a harsh reaction from the retail sector and sparked a crisis within the government.

Television advertisements and posters giving the French the message “wear your old clothes, don’t buy new clothes” created controversy in the country. Environment Minister Christophe Béchu stated that the campaign aims to prevent excessive consumption that hinders sustainability, stating: “We want to turn Black Friday into Green Friday.”

While the Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises described the ads as a blow to businesses that are struggling due to inflation, the campaign also received harsh criticism from the cabinet. Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said the campaign would harm the economy.