Back to your roots – why coal sales are booming

ALFRETON: Merchants selling bagged coal report booming sales, the Solid Fuel Association said.

ALFRETON: Merchants selling bagged coal report booming sales, the Solid Fuel Association said.

Jim Lambeth at the Solid Fuel Association said coal merchant business up by some 40% compared with 2008, not only in relation to the supply of the basic fuel, but also in the supply of logs and wood pellets.

He cited rapidly escalating prices for oil and gas as the prompt for householders to look again at the use of coal and similar products for heating.

The Solid Fuel Association advises on merchant start-ups, including packaging plants. Householders tend to buy the product pre-packed in 25kg bags from garage forecourts and builders' merchants as and when they require it.

Mr Lambert said that many retired customers stock for winter buying in bulk in the autumn so there is still scope for open bag deliveries, he said.