TESCO and Sainsbury’s have stopped selling a popular summer product over heatwave safety fears.
The supermarket giants have removed disposable barbecues from their shelves amid concerns they could spark a wildfire.
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It comes after the government considered a major legal crackdown on the products.
Discount retailer Aldi and Morrisons pulled the sale of the disposable barbecues earlier this year.
In April, environment minister Victoria Prentis said that research is being commissioned into the role that disposable barbecues play in wildfires.
A Tesco spokesman said: “In light of the ongoing heatwave and dry conditions, we’ve now made the decision to temporarily pause the sale of disposable barbecues across the UK.
“We know these products are popular with our customers and they’ll be back on shelves once the weather conditions make it safe to do so.”
The temporary grills are responsible for 4% of serious accidental fires, according to Home Office data.
A Sainsbury’s spokeswoman said the move was a “precautionary measure” until further notice.
She added: “Safety is our highest priority and we have made this decision due to the hot and dry weather we are currently experiencing.
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“We will continue to monitor the situation and listen to customer feedback.”
Morrisons banned the sale of disposable barbecues in March from stores within one male of National Parks.
But the retailer has now temporarily removed the products from all stores until further notice.
Temperatures reached 34C in some parts of the UK yesterday, with the scorching temperatures set to stick around for much of the weekend.
An amber weather warning has been issued for extreme heat by the Met Office for much of England and Wales.
Drought could be declared for some parts of England today due to the prolonged dry weather.
Which retailers have banned disposable BBQs?
Tesco
In recent years, Tesco removed disposable barbecues from sale in stores near outstanding areas of natural beauty, such as the New Forest.
It has now banned the sale across the UK following wildfire concerns.
The supermarket has not confirmed when the products will be back on supermarket shelves, but a spokesman said the move was temporary
Customers can still get their hands on small metal portable barbecues at Tesco as an alternative.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s made the decision to pull the sale of disposable barbecues as a precautionary measure due to the hot and dry weather.
The retailer said this ban will remain in place until further notice.
Aldi
Earlier this year, Aldi became the first supermarket to stop selling disposable barbecues in all of its UK stores.
The supermarket said the ban was made in a bid to protect the nation’s forests and wildlife, and would lead to the removal of approximately 35 tonnes of single-use waste packaging.
Aldi had already stopped selling disposable barbecues at its Buxton store, located close to the Peak District National Park, in June 2021.
Morrisons
Morrisons made the decision to ban the sale of disposable barbecues, but only in certain locations.
It stopped selling them within a one mile of all national parks.
But the retailer has now banned the sale of the products from all stores until further notice.
Co-op
Co-op put a similar policy in place in 2021.
The supermarket said that 130 shops situated in or within a one-mile radius of a national park would stop selling disposable barbecues.
The decision was made, in part, to help stop fires.
Waitrose
Waitrose followed Aldi this year with a disposable barbecue ban.
The supermarket removed the products from the shelves of 331 of its core stores.
Lucy Comer, buyer at Waitrose said: “Disposable barbecues present a risk to our natural habitats and this is why we’ve committed to removing them from our shelves this year.
“This is the right thing to do to preserve our local ecosystems and another example of the work we’re doing to protect the planet.
“We applaud Aldi for standing with us to make this happen and we hope other retailers will follow.”
Bans around barbeque products aren’t always welcomed.
M&S
Marks and Spencer announced last week that it has taken all disposable BBQ’s off its shelves.
In a tweet put out on August 3, M&S said: “We want to help protect open spaces and reduce the risk of fires.
“We’d already stopped selling disposable barbecues near national parks and in London.
“Given the unusually hot and dry conditions, we’ve taken the precautionary step of removing them from sale across the UK.”
Recently, disputes broke out after ministers tried to sneak through plans to ban Brits from having BBQs during the heatwave.
And Brighton and Hove City Council has come under fire over the controversial proposal to stop holidaymakers and residents enjoying using the grilling stations in all beaches, parks and open spaces.
