Black Friday in US

Shoppers in some parts of the United States got an early start on Black Friday by queuing up and making their purchases on Thanksgiving Day.

Eager bargain hunters formed long lines outside stores in Houston, Texas.

“We do this every year. It’s a holiday tradition. We’re getting the kids presents. We’re getting family presents. We’re getting presents that most people couldn’t afford unless they were two, four, $600 off, so yeah it’s a good feeling,” shopper Sherrel Pratt said.

The shopping day is also drawing criticism from ecological NGOs such as Greenpeace, which say that Black Friday’s over-consumption leads to waste and ecological disaster.

Black Friday is expected to be the biggest shopping day of the year. Sales are expected to hit $23 billion on Friday.