Launch of government campaign on firework safety is welcomed by retail group

Government agency the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has linked up with other groups including the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents to provide online guidance for consumers on using fireworks responsibly.

The OPSS campaign emphasises that consumers should only buy fireworks from licensed retailers and online operators and warns that they should not purchase from “unknown retailers on social media sites”.

James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS)  said: “We welcome the launch of this campaign which reminds consumers of their responsibilities in regard to purchasing and using fireworks and retailers of their responsibilities in the storage and sale of these products.

“Convenience retailers are well versed in the sale of highly regulated products, including fireworks, and we will continue to work with our members to ensure that these important messages are communicated to customers.”

The ACS has recently launched its online assured advice guides on fireworks, detailing the laws and guidelines regarding the sale of these products.

Vets are urging retailers to follow the example of Sainsbury’s and stop selling fireworks due to the distress they cause pets and wildlife.

Dave Leicester, of Vets Now, the UK’s leading emergency service for pets, wants retailers “to take immediate action to prevent animals being traumatised and injured on and around bonfire night”.

He said: “Every year in our emergency clinics, we see the reality of seemingly-harmless fireworks displays: pets burnt or hit by cars after being spooked, others bolting and going missing, sometimes never to return, and self-inflicted, life-changing injuries caused in a moment of panic.

“As organised local fireworks displays are likely to be cancelled due to coronavirus, more people will hold private displays using fireworks. This will lead to even greater risk than in previous years.”

According to a poll carried out by Vets Now, 83% of pet owners support banning the sale of fireworks for private use.

Sainsbury’s decided to ban fireworks in 2019 in all of its 2,300 stores.