Data collated from all SIA manufacturing members, which accounts for approximately 75% of total UK stove sales, shows that sales for the second quarter of 2022 (April to June) hit over 35,000 units, compared to just over 25,000 for the same quarter of 2021.

This increase, in what is typically a quieter sales period for the market, shows that consumers are recognising the benefits of using modern, Ecodesign compliant wood burning stoves to provide home heating.

Chair of the SIA, Andy Hill, comments: “With the cost for heating our homes accounting for the biggest chunk of home energy bills this winter, it is little wonder consumers are looking for alternatives to supplement their gas or electric heating. Couple that with growing awareness of how stretched the grid is and the increased possibility of more power cuts this winter, the option to use a highly efficient, low carbon and low emission wood burning stove to heat your main living space makes good (common) sense.”

Not only is this increase in sales good news for the savvy consumer, but it is also good news for the environment too. Feedback from the SIA’s retail network suggests that in most cases these new sales are a replacement for an existing open fire or a much older, very basic stove.

Andy added: “A modern, Ecodesign wood burning stove will emit up to 90% less PM than an open fire, and up to 80% less than a large number of older stoves. Sales of stoves during the latest quarter were almost exclusively Ecodesign models meaning that consumers are helping to cut carbon and particulate emissions from domestic wood burning, as well as reducing their heating costs.”