Marks & Spencer has pulled disposable barbecues from its shelves following fire concerns, joining Aldi and Co-op.
The retailer announced on Wednesday that it was taking the "precautionary step" of stopping sales of the product in its stores across Scotland and the UK.
As reported by MyLondon, fire officials praised the news after calling for a total ban on the sale of disposable barbecues last week. Marks & Spencer had previously halted sale of the product near national parks in an effort to prevent fires, and has now extended this to all of its stores.
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Taking to Twitter, the supermarket wrote: “At M&S 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 but given the unusually hot and dry conditions, we’ve taken the precautionary step of removing them from sale across the UK.”
It follows the news in June 2021 that Co-op would no longer sell disposable barbecues in 130 shops located within a one-mile area of a national park. Aldi also announced earlier this year that it would no longer sell the product in any of its stores in the UK.
London's Fire Commissioner Andy Roe has written to local councils to ask for a ban on disposable BBQs. During the July heatwave, London Fire Brigade alone received 8,302 calls and attended 3,231 incidents, including more than 1,000 fires.
Roe said: "Despite our grass fire warnings, we've still seen some people behaving carelessly and recklessly. We need urgent action now to see a national ban on the sale of disposable barbecues.
"They can be bought for as little as £5 and can cause untold damage. Especially when the grass is as dry as it has been over the last few weeks."
The public has been urged not to barbecue in parks and to ensure cigarettes, rubbish and glass are properly disposed of.
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