Stores rebuff move on barbecue sales
Big stores rebuff campaign call for ban
ENVIRONMENT: A campaign group set up to stop the sale of disposable barbecues has seen its approaches to major supermarket chains rebuffed.
Around 2,500 members have already joined the Leave the BBQ at Home pressure group since it was launched by Peak District resident Tony McCartney earlier this month.
A CAMPAIGN group set up to stop the sale of disposable barbecues has seen its approaches to major supermarket chains rebuffed.
Around 2,500 members have already joined the Leave the BBQ at Home pressure group since it was launched by Peak District resident Tony McCartney earlier this month.
Mr McCartney has already seen the damage wreaked by disposable barbecues near his home in Hathersage, where they have been responsible for several moorland fires.
In Yorkshire, there have been fires at two reservoirs, Cod Beck near Northallerton and Digley near Holmfirth, caused by singleuse barbecues during lockdown. Fire crews have complained of having to extinguish several more unattended barbecues abandoned at beauty spots in both the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks.
Mr McCartney, his wife Vicki
and the eldest of their five children, Lauren, have been ‘bombarding’ the major supermarket chains with pleas for them to stop selling disposable barbecues – but have received few responses.
After a fire at Bamford Edge, close to the McCartneys’ home, in early June which took several days to dampen down, the
Peak District National Park Authority asked several local retailers within the Park boundary to take disposable barbecues off their shelves. Two Spar convenience stores complied, as did several Co-op branches and, further afield, Go Outdoors in Sheffield.
However, it has proved more difficult to persuade large chains to stop stocking them.
Mr McCartney also believes that their use has increased during lockdown, when more groups of young people are heading to rural areas to drink and relax while pubs and bars are shut.
“It’s standard now every summer – it’s been getting worse for years, the number of fires has been on the increase. On most occasions now the cause is either wild camping or disposable barbecues. They’re not the only reasons – they can start because of discarded cigarette ends or glass bottles – but most are to do with barbecues and campfires.
“We are fighting for corporate responses but the supermarkets just don’t seem to be interested. We have been bombarding their
CEOs, but the larger chains have given the worst responses. I got a polite reply from the Co-op but that’s about it.”
It’s been getting worse for years, the number of fires has been on the increase.
Peak District resident and campaigner, Tony McCartney.
Mr McCartney said he was pleased that in the Hope Valley retailers had voluntarily removed barbecues from sale.
He said: “Go Outdoors in Sheffield has also removed them, as have several local branches of Co-op. Further afield, Budgens in Hampshire and Essex has also removed them.
“However, the battle has only just begun. We are now taking the campaign national and have members from as far afield as
Dorset and Edinburgh furiously emailing and tweeting retailers, manufacturers, MPs, councillors and campsites warning them of the dangers and asking for their support.”
Both Asda and Morrisons, which have their head offices in Yorkshire, were contacted by The Yorkshire Post and asked if they would consider removing disposable barbecues from their stores. Neither responded to requests for comment.