Many with pets and kids will be delighted to hear this.
If you’ve ever been on social media in the weeks running up to Guy Fawkes Night or New Year’s Eve then you’ll know what I’m talking about when I say that fireworks are a contentious issue. They can distress animals with their loud bangs and keep babies and children awake when tired parents are at their wits’ end.
So plenty of people in the UK will be pleased to hear that Sainsbury’s has taken a lead and banned the sale of fireworks in their supermarkets. You might even say that they’re trailblazers, or that they’re lighting the way for others (sorry, sometimes puns are irresistible).
This is a big deal because there are a whopping 2,300 Sainsbury’s shops in the UK and this new rule will take effect immediately. So, if you were heading out this afternoon to buy some fireworks from one of their stores then we’re afraid you’re out of luck.
There are plenty of other places in the world taking steps to curtail or even ban the use of fireworks by amateurs. For example, Amsterdam has just banned back garden fireworks shows and this year the city will only allow professional shows. Residents are by and large in favour of this move.
A spokesperson from Sainsbury’s said: ‘We regularly review the products available in our store and we are no longer selling fireworks based on a range of factors […] customers can continue to choose from a range of seasonal products, such as glow sticks and light-up spinning wands.’ So, you’ll still be able to get your festive fix.
Additionally, the BBC writes that: ‘A recent consultation in Scotland over the sale of fireworks to the public found that there was support for tougher controls on the selling and use of the products. Of the 16,000 people who responded, 94% wanted tighter controls on the sale of fireworks and 87% supported an outright ban on the sale of fireworks.’ So, it seems that Sainbury’s might just be on the right side of public opinion when it comes to fireworks, and it will be interesting to see how other supermarkets will react in the following months.