SHOPPERS have hit the high street today to reap the best deals from the Black Friday sales.

Black Friday is an annual shopping event, originating from the US, which see’s major retailers offering significant discounts.

This year it has been predicted that shoppers across the UK are expected to spend a whopping £9.2 billion, both online and in stores, today.

In Oxford, there was a steady flow of people wandering through the Westgate, browsing in stores, and cars were seen queuing to get inside the car park.

Not all retailers in the city are taking part in the end of November tradition, encouraging customers to shop sustainably and locally.

Sally Dear is the owner of Ducky Zebra – a sustainable kids’ clothing brand that opened in the Covered Market less than two weeks ago.

Sally’s store is not participating in Black Friday but is taking part in Colour Friday.

She explained: “We are doing colour Friday, which is being headed by Holly Tucker who founded Not on the High Street.

“She is trying to encourage people through the campaign to shop small and shop independent.

“We cannot compete with the slashed prices of the big brands, but we can offer great quality, passion and fantastic designs.”

Today, Sally’s store will be offering 10 per cent of all clothes online,

Sally said that although it is ‘fine to capitalise on Black Friday’, it can encourage waste.

She said: “Black Friday really encourages over consumerism, and we feel like we should buy something because we could miss out on a deal and there’s a lot of people taking a stance against this.

“It is fine to participate in Black Friday but think before you buy – make sure you definitely do need it and want it.”

Sarah Jordan, who runs the independent brand Y.O.U. Underwear is also a newbie to the Covered Market, echoed Sally’s concerns.

She said: “This Black Friday we are supporting Fashion Revolution – an organisation which stated as a result of the collapse of the garment factory, Rama Plaza, in Bangladesh in 2013.

“We are giving 10 per cent of all out orders to support this charity, and the women who work in the fashion supply chain.

“The fashion industry is generally not good at treating people, especially women, well or paying them fairly, so the charity helps stop this.”

In previous years Sarah’s company, which until two weeks ago was online-only, participated in ‘Green Friday’ and so for every order, the company would plant a tree.

She added: “We just want to get people to support small businesses and local businesses to see what a difference that can make.”

Graham MacDonald, who owns the renowned gelateria iScream and Wicked chocolate shop in the market, said his businesses are also not participating in Black Friday.

He said: “We are busy from about mid-November through to Christmas anyways, so Black Friday does not really make a difference to us – it doesn’t make a difference in term of brining people into the shop or whether they decide to spend.

“It genuinely makes not tangible difference for us and as a small business, particularly after the last 18 months, there is little latitude to offer any particular deals anyways.”