Major supermarkets have removed disposable barbecues from sale amid warnings of a heightened risk of wildfires. Asda became the latest to start pulling single-use grills from its shelves on Tuesday as a spell of exceptionally dry and hot weather continues to grip parts of the UK.
Retailers respond to fire risk
Firefighters have tackled blazes in areas including the Rhondda Valley, Dunwich and Suffolk in recent days. The Co-op and Tesco are understood to have paused sales of disposable BBQs in July, and Sainsbury's has also agreed to withdraw them until August 12.
Retailers including Wilko and The Range have started removing them from stores and online. Other chains like Aldi, Lidl, Waitrose and M&S have not sold disposable grills since 2022.
Voluntary guidance and political pressure
Those suspending sales are understood to have acted in line with voluntary guidance from the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) lasting until next Wednesday as parts of the country face a prolonged heatwave. Morrisons appeared to be selling instant BBQs online as of Tuesday evening.
Jon Pearce, the Labour MP for High Peak in Derbyshire, also wrote to retail giants last week asking them to stop selling single-use grills for the rest of the summer. He welcomed the decision by major chains and urged smaller retailers to follow suit, but said Government action was also needed in the next year to help the country adapt to a changing climate.
Calls for mandatory measures
Speaking to the Press Association, Mr Pearce said the NFCC guidance on disposable BBQs should be made mandatory, adding: "The big retailers are taking the lead, which is great, but now we need the others to come in behind them. Asking them to suspend sales this summer is to deal with the immediate problem but we have to accept the fact that the climate has changed."
He said last summer was the worst on record for wildfires, and this year will almost certainly surpass it. "We need to adapt quickly to our changing climate and start planning for next summer now." He said he would continue campaigning for a ban on the use of disposable BBQs in public spaces, adding: "The Government needs to genuinely look at what's happening. It's great retailers are supporting us this summer but I would expect the Government to look at the risks and act ahead of next summer."
Fire chiefs' warnings
Fire chiefs warned last week that wildfires were becoming an "increasingly significant and sustained pressure" on services, which have responded to more than 700 in England and Wales so far this year. The NFCC urged against using disposable BBQs in open countryside, parks and moorland area to "significantly reduce the risk" of blazes.
A Co-op spokesperson said: "Co-op takes its environmental and community responsibilities extremely seriously and has a long-standing policy for the safe sale disposable BBQs, supported by the NFCC. Due to the very hot weather and drought conditions the UK is currently experiencing, and in line with the NFCC guidance, we have voluntarily removed all disposable BBQs from sale for a temporary period."
A spokesperson for Tesco said: "As a responsible retailer Tesco follows the voluntary code on the sale of disposable barbecues created by the British Retail Consortium and the NFCC. In line with the code, we have temporarily removed disposable barbecues from sale across our stores and online." Morrisons has been contacted for comment.
