Barbecue season endangered: gas bottles are becoming scarce - hamster purchases further aggravate the situation
Created: 06/10/2022, 15:55
By: Stella Henrich
As soon as the sun shines, people in this country fire up their barbecues.
But suddenly the gas bottles are running out.
Apparently, Germany's barbecue friends are hoarding liquid gas.
Munich - Nothing seems nicer than the smell of bratwurst in the summertime, wafting through local gardens.
In this country, too, the barbecue and outdoor friends have meanwhile brought their barbecue equipment out of the basement, cleaned it and gotten a few sausages from the discounter, even if the prices went up.
So now we can start – you think!
Because suddenly the gas bottles are missing in many places.
The purchases appear to be exceeding seasonal demand and are now even threatening to unbalance the deposit system for gas cylinders.
Some providers have already started giving out gas bottles only in exchange for the corresponding empties, says Evelyn Höller, spokeswoman for the bottling company Propan Rheingas in Brühl.
LPG bottles are becoming scarce, much to the chagrin of barbecue fans.
© Frank May/dpa
Barbecue season: DIY stores only give out new gas bottles if they are emptied
A photo of a hardware store customer from Bavaria is circulating on Twitter.
It shows a sign from the checkout area informing customers of gas supplier delivery problems.
The reason for the bottlenecks - especially for 11-kilo returnable bottles - is the Ukraine war on the one hand and consumer behavior on the other, says Höller.
"Because it's being hoarded again." This leads to an artificial shortage, the bottle containers are more difficult to obtain, and there are also increased steel prices.
As a result, gas bottles are now only given out by some retailers in exchange for the corresponding empties.
Although there is no shortage of gas for filling, the bottles may be
Evelyn Höller, spokeswoman for the Propan Rheingas bottler in Brühl
also read
Asparagus madness: Farmers let the harvest drive out – “You should be ashamed”
Sunflower oil is out?
The ideal replacement can be found in every refrigerated counter - for less than one euro
Like Höller, the Association for Liquid Gas DVFG is also aware of the increased demand for liquids.
But there is no reason to hoard liquid gas bottles, a spokesman for the association slows down the buying panic
to
Welt.de.
The supply of propane and butane gas is "permanently secured".
And adds: "If you grill once a week, you can get through the whole summer with an eleven-kilogram bottle."
Top 10: The favorite dishes of the Germans
View photo gallery
Barbecue season: the trend is towards gas barbecues
A study by the opinion research institute Forsa also confirms the trend towards gas grills.
In 2011, only one in ten of those surveyed used a gas grill, but now it is 29 percent.
Which grill is the right one for everyone's beef steak, crispy bratwurst or sweet corn on the cob is not just a question of taste.
Because there are important differences in the choice of grill for different occasions.
Stay up to date on consumer information and product recalls with our brand new consumer newsletter.
