Soaring energy prices in the UK are forcing some struggling Britons to explore new ways to keep warm.
The British “Daily Mail” reported that Britons bought more than 35,000 stoves from April to June, and sales surged 40% from 25,000 in the same period last year. The stoves, priced from £300 to £4,000, are mainly used to burn wood for heat.
British “Daily Mail” related reports. Screenshot of the official website of the Daily Mail.
Home heating costs in the UK account for the largest part of household energy bills this winter, and a surge in stove sales is a sign that consumers are taking action to deal with rising energy prices, the Stove Industry Federation said.
At the same time, the demand for chainsaws continues to rise. The retail giant Toolstation, which has more than 500 stores in the UK, revealed that sales of chainsaws have jumped by a third in recent weeks, which the company suspects is mainly due to the need for people to use them to cut logs and lumber, slowing the economy from energy bills. pressure.
In the face of a large number of Britons burning wood to keep warm, Gary Fuller, senior lecturer at the Department of Public Health at Imperial College London, believes that it is important to help the disadvantaged to keep warm in winter, but burning wood is not the solution, especially Burning wood causes more air pollution than cars.
In addition to people being forced to burn firewood, British companies also suffer from high electricity prices. According to the British “Independent”, many companies report energy costs are expected to increase by more than 500%, and more and more British bars and restaurants are choosing to use candles instead of electric lights.
British “Guardian” related reports. Screenshot of The Guardian’s official website.
The Guardian reported that The Masons Arms bar in Cornwall, England, has switched to candles from September 27. The bar owner Katie said that the electricity bill last month was 2,574 pounds, compared with 1,172 pounds in the same period last year, which more than doubled. When she saw the electricity bill, she came up with the idea of using candles. “Some local people told me that it should be Go back to what it looked like when the bar opened in 1753 (with candles).” The pub industry has warned that thousands of pubs will face closure without government support.
Pub regular Bev runs holiday home management near The Masons Arms. She said the company had two industrial washers and two dryers, and the bill had increased from £100 to £700 a month. Although the price is high, they know that they still have the financial conditions to go to the bar to spend, and their living conditions are more fortunate than other elderly people.
British companies are experiencing a significant increase in energy costs. Some companies report that energy costs have increased by more than 500%. Prime Minister Zhuohuisi said that people’s livelihoods and business operations are at stake. If the government does not take action, the price will be very heavy.
The UK government announced on October 1 that for the next two years it will cap the prices of gas and electricity for household use, with businesses, charities and the public sector all covered by the upcoming Energy Bill relief scheme.
