UK Retailers Pull Disposable Barbecues as Wildfire Risk Mounts
Published on 08/01/2026 at 15:07 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
British supermarkets have begun removing disposable barbecues from their shelves after Labour MP Jon Pearce issued an urgent appeal for a nationwide halt to sales for the rest of the summer. The High Peak representative warned that the products pose a serious fire hazard during what has become an unprecedented period of dry weather, putting pressure on retailers to act before conditions worsen further.
Major Supermarkets Back the Ban
Sainsbury's and Co-op confirmed on Friday that they would suspend sales of disposable barbecues, joining Aldi, Lidl, Waitrose, and Marks & Spencer, all of which have maintained a nationwide ban on the products since 2022.
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In the High Peak region, Tesco, Morrisons, and Home Bargains had already independently stopped selling the items. The growing industry-wide response comes as emergency services struggle to cope with a surge in outdoor blazes. Fire officials point out that nearly all wildfires in the UK are caused by human activity, with disposable barbecues—built with thin aluminium shells that allow heat and embers to escape—singled out as a primary risk factor.
Devastating Fires and Stretched Emergency Services
The push for a broader ban follows several major incidents that have caused significant ecological damage. In Derbyshire, a wildfire recently scorched 606 hectares of land at Tintwistle Moor. More recently, a fire at Cannock Chase on Thursday, July 30, destroyed an area of protected heathland roughly the size of a football pitch. The blaze, officially attributed to a disposable barbecue, killed protected wildlife including adders and toads. Local authorities have closed Chase Road until at least Monday.
In Suffolk, more than 100 firefighters have been battling a blaze near the Sizewell nuclear plant since Wednesday evening. The fire has caused total devastation to the landscape at Dunwich Heath, according to reports from the scene. Meanwhile, a fire in South Wales that began on July 20 continues to affect air quality in the Cardiff area.
The strain on emergency resources has been considerable. Essex Fire Service reported receiving 2,029 emergency calls in the week leading up to Thursday, July 30. In London, fire crews were dispatched to more than 1,300 incidents during a single recent weekend.
Record Dry Spell Fuels Wildfire Crisis
The current crisis coincides with record-breaking weather patterns. England and Wales have experienced their driest July since records began, contributing to 393 wildfires during the month—a new record for the region.
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Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service has updated its wildfire danger level to very high, prompting officials to urge residents to avoid all outdoor fires, campfires, and disposable barbecues. Beyond the immediate fire risk, health officials have noted the broader impact of the summer's extreme conditions, with more than 2,700 heat-related deaths recorded so far this season. Global data from NASA further indicates that extreme wildfire activity has doubled worldwide in recent years.
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