High Peak MP Jon Pearce is calling on major retailers across the UK to suspend the sale of disposable barbecues following a summer of devastating wildfires, including the major blaze at Dove stone.
Jon Pearce has written to major retailers urging them to remove disposable BBQs from sale both online and in stores, after fires across the UK caused widespread damage to countryside, wildlife habitats and protected landscapes.
The Dove stone fire, which affected moorland around the Saddleworth and Tameside border, saw firefighters battle for several days to bring the blaze under control. The wildfire caused significant damage to the landscape and required a major response from emergency services.
The call comes after a successful local campaign in High Peak, where several retailers agreed to stop selling disposable barbecues in their stores. Jon Pearce is now urging businesses nationwide to take similar action.
Since his campaign began last week, Co-op and Sainsbury’s have confirmed they will remove disposable BBQs from sale, joining retailers including Aldi, Lidl, Waitrose and M&S, which have not sold them since 2022.
This year, Morrisons, Tesco and Home Bargains also agreed not to stock disposable BBQs in their High Peak stores following pressure from the MP.
Jon Pearce MP said: “Our campaign in High Peak has shown that retailers are willing to act. Thanks to the support of Co-op, Morrisons and Home Bargains, alongside Aldi, Lidl, Waitrose and M&S who have not sold disposable BBQs since 2022, we’ve shown this is both practical and achievable. Now it’s time for retailers across the country to do the same.
“This is the first step. By taking disposable BBQs off the shelves, retailers can help reduce the risk of preventable fires this summer. Alongside that, I’ll continue campaigning for the Government to introduce a ban on their use in public spaces.
“We rightly spend a lot of time talking about tackling climate change, but we also have to recognise that our climate has already changed. Hotter, drier summers mean we must do far more to adapt and make our communities, countryside and emergency services more resilient to the risks we’re already facing. Preventing avoidable wildfires has to be part of that response.
“This isn’t about stopping people enjoying the outdoors. It’s about protecting our countryside, supporting our firefighters and preventing avoidable fires before they start. If taking disposable BBQs off the shelves helps prevent even one wildfire this summer, it will have been the right decision.”
The campaign follows a summer of wildfires across the UK and Europe, including fires in North Wales, Scotland, France and Spain. A recent blaze in Suffolk spread across an area equivalent to around 210 football pitches in just 24 hours.
The High Peak MP is now calling on retailers including Tesco, Morrisons, Iceland, B&M, Yorkshire Trading Co, Amazon, The Range, Homebase, Asda, Poundland and Poundstretcher to suspend sales of disposable BBQs.
He says removing them from sale would be an immediate step to reduce the risk of wildfires, while he continues to campaign for a ban on their use in public spaces.