Disposable barbecue restrictions withdrawn: what businesses should check

What changed on 22 October?

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has withdrawn the statutory guidelines that prohibited supplying disposable barbecues. Introduced on 14 August 2026, the guidelines were withdrawn on 22 October 2026 following engagement with relevant experts and stakeholders. This is a completed change, not a proposal. OPSS says businesses may supply disposable barbecues again if applicable product-safety requirements are met. The relevant product-safety framework discussed here is for Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland has a separate regime; this article should not be used to determine its requirements.

Retailers still need to check the products they supply

The withdrawal is not a blanket declaration that every disposable barbecue is safe. The government's Great Britain product-safety guidance says distributors must exercise due care, avoid supplying products they know or ought to know are dangerous, pass on risk information and retain records identifying their supplier. A recall remains a separate reason not to supply affected stock. Before changing a stock decision, we recommend checking supplier information, current safety notices and the instructions supplied with the particular product. Refer uncertain product-compliance questions to Trading Standards or an appropriately qualified adviser.

Supply permission is not a safe-use plan

OPSS expressly retains the warning to follow manufacturers' instructions and consider local conditions and fire-safety advice. The government's existing outdoor fire-safety guidance for England says never to use a barbecue inside a caravan, tent or building, or under an awning. It also advises allowing equipment to cool before moving it and keeping it away from combustible surroundings. Kent Fire and Rescue Service similarly warns against use under cover because of carbon monoxide poisoning, and against leaving a barbecue unattended. These are established precautions, not new October rules.

A practical check for Kent businesses and property managers

For a holiday-park shop, a retailer in Gillingham or Medway, or a property manager overseeing outdoor areas in Kent or South East London, distinguish two decisions: whether a product may be supplied and whether its use is appropriate at the premises. We recommend checking that sales information, visitor instructions and staff briefings do not contradict each other. Do not assume the national withdrawal cancels an existing site policy or a separate location-specific restriction. Check the actual arrangements and relevant authority advice before changing them. Record the source, decision date and person responsible so the next manager can understand what was agreed.

Need help with your premises arrangements?

If you manage a caravan or holiday park, contact 1st Aid Fire to discuss an agreed-scope fire risk assessment or a question about your existing findings. Explain the site, the activities involved and the decision you need help with. Premises fire-risk advice is not product certification or permission to supply stock. This article was prepared with automated editorial assistance using the linked official sources; it does not imply a personal inspection or technical review of a particular product or site.

Guidance and further reading

• OPSS: statutory guidelines on disposable BBQs withdrawn, updated 22 October 2026
• GOV.UK: General Product Safety Regulations 2005 — Great Britain
• GOV.UK: existing outdoor fire-safety guidance for England
• Kent Fire and Rescue Service: barbecue safety

Sources checked 28 October 2026. This article offers general information; it does not determine the requirements or certify the condition of a particular property.

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