Sainsbury’s and Tesco stop selling disposable barbecueson August 11, 2022 at 9:20 pm

Sainsbury’s and Tesco have joined other supermarket chains in removing disposable barbecues from their shop shelves during the current heatwave.

Marks and Spencer, Aldi and Waitrose have already halted sales and fire brigades have called for all retailers to follow suit as a heatwave raises the risk the grills will spark fires.

Sainsbury’s said the policy was a precautionary measure, but did not say how long it would continue.

Tesco said the move was temporary.

Once weather conditions allow, disposable barbecues will be made available again, Tesco said. It also said small metal portable barbecues remained on sale as an alternative.

The UK is in the middle of its second heatwave this summer.

In July temperatures broke records, rising above 40C and are forecast to hit 37C (99F) again in some parts of the UK over the next four days.

Fire services are warning of “tinderbox conditions” and have asked people not to use barbecues in high risk places, such as balconies and on dry grass, after a steep increase in the number of call-outs.

Last week Marks and Spencer responded saying it wanted to “help protect open spaces and reduce the risk of fires” by removing the single use portable barbecues from sale.

Aldi and Waitrose had already stopped sales back in March, due to the burden on the environment more generally, including the impact of the single use plastic, metal and card.

Tesco and Sainsbury’s have only just made the change but are much larger chains.

“As a precautionary measure we are removing from sale all disposable barbecues until further notice,” Sainsbury’s said.

“Safety is our highest priority and we have made this decision due to the hot and dry weather that we are currently experiencing across the country.”

Morrisons, and the Co-op say they do not sell disposable barbecues close to UK national parks.