NEW Year’s Eve is here and that means the sky will be filled with fireworks tonight as millions of homes ring in 2020.
And with just hours to go until the big countdown, last-minute shoppers might be wondering where they can find the cheapest bangers for their display.
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So far, only Asda, Costco and Morrisons have confirmed they’ll be selling fireworks today with prices starting from 50p.
As on Guy Fawkes night, Sainsbury’s will not be selling fireworks today in any of its stores to avoid distressing animals and vulnerable people.
Aldi, Argos, B&Q, Homebase and Wilko will also not be stocking fireworks.
We’ve yet to hear back from Lidl and Tesco although no fireworks are listed on their websites.
It’s important to remember though that fireworks can be dangerous so take care if you’re celebrating with your own display tonight.
You’ll need to be 18 or older to buy fireworks, so don’t forget your ID, and most retailers will only sell them to you in stores.
Here are the cheapest fireworks we found on sale now.
How do you safely light fireworks?
AS fireworks can be dangerous it is important to be very careful and take precautions on New Year’s Eve.
- Make sure that you’re buying your fireworks from somewhere reputable, for example: a supermarket or a specialist party retailer.
- Do not buy fireworks if the boxes look like they’ve been tampered with or damaged.
- Always read the packet carefully and make sure that the fireworks you buy are suitable for the place where you are going to set them off. Some fireworks can only be bought and used by professionals.
- Just one person should be in charge of fireworks, and this person should be sober.
- Always make sure you preparing in advance and in daylight.
- You should light fireworks at arm’s length using a taper and stand well back.
- Sparklers can reportedly get five times hotter than cooking oil – so never give them to a child under five and make sure to wear gloves when you light them.
Asda
Asda is only selling fireworks in stores and you’ll need to be 18 or over to purchase them.
Shoppers can use the online store finder to locate their nearest supermarket.
It’s also worth noting that although Asda has 631 shops in the UK, not all of them will be selling fireworks.
Sparklers – 50p: The cheapest product Asda sell is its pack of five Golden Sparklers.
Asda says each stick lasts 50 seconds when lit, although the website doesn’t list the length of each sparkler.
Rockets – £5: Shoppers can pick up the Furious 5 rocket pack for a fiver, which is the best priced rocket product we found.
It comes with five shot tubes and a recommended safety distance of eight metres.
Finale box – £5: The Screaming Demons kit contains a mammoth 100 shots of fireworks with “fast and furious whistles and crackles”.
Like the rockets, Asda recommends standing at least eight metres away.
Display box – £6 (or two for £10): For an all-rounder, the Magic Selection Box has 15 assorted fireworks including 12 fountains, two roman candles and one shot tube.
This set also has a safety distance recommendation of eight metres.
Costco
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Costco is a wholesale warehouse chain where shoppers can save money by bulk-buying goods.
But you’ll only really benefit if you’re going to use everything you’ve bought, otherwise it’s a waste of cash.
If you haven’t done so already, to shop at Costco you need to sign up for a subscription.
It costs £15 for an online account – or as an individual you’d pay £33.60 a year in stores.
Find your nearest one by using the online store finder – there are 29 warehouses to choose from across the UK.
You can order fireworks online, but it’s highly unlikely they’ll arrive in time for tonight.
Sparklers – £64.99: As Costco is all about buying in bulk, the cheapest sparklers we found cost £64.99 for a pack of 360 sticks.
Each sparkler in the Giant Legacy pack is 40cm in length and burns for 95 seconds.
Rockets – £179.89: Costco is selling the Black Cat Sundown extra large flash rockets for under £180.
The set contains 18 rockets in total, making each one just under £10, that shoot up 45 metres into the sky.
A safe distance of at least 25 metres is advised.
Finale box – £59.89: For an epic finale, the wholesaler has a Crescendo Single Ignition box with 58 shots for under £60.
It lasts for approximately 40 seconds and Costco recommends standing at least 25 metres away.
Display box – £52.99: Costco says its Carousel Firework Display has everything you need in one box.
The selection includes a bonfire kit (17 fireworks), ember (21 shots), airborne (12 rockets), recall (nine shot tubes), five sparklers and firework lighters.
Like the other Costco products, a safety distance of 25 metres is recommended.
Morrisons
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Morrisons’ fireworks are available in select stores to over-18 customers. You can view the full range on its website, although you can’t buy its fireworks online.
Use the online store finder tool to see which of Morrisons’ 491 shops is closest to you.
We’ve asked Morrisons for its recommended safety distance for its fireworks and we’ll update this article when we know more.
Sparklers – 50p (or three for £1): Morrisons has a pack of Mega Sparklers for 50p each, or three packs for £10.
Each sparkler measures 10 inches long but sadly the supermarket doesn’t list the burn time on its website.
Rockets – £6 (or two for £10): The Midnight Explorer Rocket pack contains five rockets which, if you buy two packs for £10, costs £1 per rocket.
Finale box – £20: Morrisons’ best finishing act is the Dragon’s Den barrage box with 63 shots inside.
Display box – £15: If you’re after an all-in-one box, the supermarket is selling a Nitro Selection with nine fountains, two shot tubes, two candles, a mine and a wheel.
If you’re planning on going out, here’s where to watch the fireworks across the UK.
The fog is set to clear for New Year’s Eve fireworks but party-goers need to wrap up as the mercury plummets.
It’s important to stay safe this evening – here’s our guide to the first aid every parents need to know from burns to smoke inhalation.
