In 2022, several supermarkets vowed to remove disposable BBQs from sale. But, they continue to be sold by many retailers and cause fires across the UK, with hundreds of thousands going to landfill every year.1 Waste management firm BusinessWaste.co.uk is calling for a total ban in order to protect the environment and reduce waste, as the group explains here.
Our research found that in 2026, the product can still be bought easily online through some of the same supermarkets that vowed to remove it from stores, two of which have a combined 2600 stores across the UK. Many other retailers still stock disposable BBQs in store, and they can easily be purchased from online marketplaces.
How many disposable BBQs are sold each year?
There are no up-to-date published figures on the sales of disposable BBQs in the UK, but before major supermarket withdrawals in 2022, disposable BBQ sales in the UK were estimated at around 1 million units per year. Current usage remains high, and with the product impossible to recycle, it’s likely hundreds of thousands are heading to landfill annually.2
Why are disposable BBQs so bad for the environment?
Every year in the UK, fires caused by disposable BBQs are widely reported. Just last week, a blaze was caused in Hampshire, and last year fires were attributed to disposable BBQs in West Sussex, Bristol and the Isle of Wight, naming just a few of the countless reports.<sup>3, 4, 5, 6</sup>
These fires can lead to large-scale grassland and heath fires and cause long-term habitat loss.
Designed to be single-use and often only lit for 2 hours, the product is a huge waste of materials and extremely difficult to recycle. As a result, disposable BBQs more often than not end up in landfill, if they aren’t abandoned or littered first.
It’s not uncommon for users to leave hot disposable BBQs in public places, bury them in sand, or throw them into bins. This creates a further fire risk, contaminates our green spaces and causes direct harm to animals.
What are better alternatives?
Many people pick disposable BBQs due to cost and convenience, but there are plenty of reusable options on the market which still satisfy these needs. For between £15 and £30, many retailers like IKEA and Argos sell folding and portable BBQs which are lightweight, designed for transport and can be used hundreds of times.
These are much more environmentally friendly and more cost-effective over time.
Petition for a total ban on disposable BBQs:
Sign the petition here.
Mark Hall, waste management expert and Director at BusinessWaste.co.uk, commented:
“We have been campaigning against the use and sale of disposable BBQs for years. The product is extremely wasteful and damaging to our local environment. Every year, we continue to see news reports of the damage done by the use of disposable products and boycotts have proved to be fleeting.
“In 2026, we really need to see an all-out ban put in place. There is no reason for these products to remain on sale when much more environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternatives are available. A ban would protect our green spaces, local wildlife and stop hundreds of thousands of disposable BBQs clogging our landfills. We would encourage the public to support this by signing the petition, sharing with friends and writing to local MPs.”
Notes
[1] https://www.grocerygazette.co.uk/2022/08/12/asda-bbq-ban/
[2] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/09/waitrose-and-aldi-to-stop-selling-disposable-bbqs
[3] https://uk.news.yahoo.com/disposable-barbecue-sparks-forest-blaze-160200040.html
[4] https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/news/local-beauty-spot-devastated-by-barbecue-fire/
[5] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg30p82d8yo
[6] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy15newnyko
