ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is reminding convenience retailers about the upcoming changes to the sale of manufactured solid fuels and wood.
From 1st May 2021, retail businesses in England including convenience stores, supermarkets and forecourts must not sell traditional house coal (bituminous coal).
Permitted manufactured solid fuels and wood also can only be sold as follows:
- Manufactured solid fuels – All manufactured solid fuels must be certified for use to be legally sold, with the exception of ‘exempt’ fuels. To be sold correctly, the approved Ready to Burn logo must be displayed along with the manufacturer details, and unique certification number. This should either be attached to the packaging or can be displayed at point of sale.
- Wood - Wood sold in volumes under 2 cubic metres must be certified as ‘Ready to Burn’. To be sold correctly, the approved Ready to Burn logo must be displayed along with the manufacturer details, and unique certification number. This should either be attached to the packaging or can be displayed at point of sale.
ACS has clarified with the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) that the information required to be displayed at POS should ideally be located next to the pricing label or on the shelf for in-scope fuels.
The DEFRA certification checking tool can be found here.
It is important that the wood is stored properly, so that it is not sold to customers if damaged or wet. To prevent wood from becoming damaged or wet, it is recommended that it is stored indoors, off the ground or undercover and stock should be rotated so that older stock is sold first.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “It is important that retailers familiarise themselves with the changes regarding the storage and sale of domestic solid fuels, to ensure that they are compliant for when the regulations come into force next month.”
More information is available here.
