The Warehouse will no longer sell fireworks from this year onwards after support from customers for the move.
Chief product officer Tania Benyon said selling fireworks no longer holds true to The Warehouse values after over half of customers surveyed preferred to attend public fireworks displays rather than have fireworks at home.
Twenty-eight per cent of those surveyed didn’t participate in fireworks at all.
“Like any of our product ranges, we assess them and we and make changes accordingly,” Benyon said.
“Feedback from our customers shows that while many are supportive of public fireworks displays to mark special events across the year, Guy Fawkes has become less of an occasion, and there are clear concerns about people letting off fireworks at home.
“In line with listening to the community, and our ongoing sustainability efforts as business, we no longer feel fireworks have a place on our shelves.”
Among those who indicated they weren’t supportive of fireworks, 27 per cent were concerned about the safety of animals and 16 per cent said it was down to environmental reasons.
The SPCA, who has long campaigned to ban the private use and selling of fireworks, said they were "thrilled" with The Warehouse's decision.
“Fireworks can have a devastating impact on animals through the stress they can cause. The loud noises and bright flashes can be incredibly frightening, leading to animals running away, injuring themselves and even running into traffic," chief executive Andrea Midgen said.
“It is our hope that until local councils and Government take a stronger stance on this issue, other retailers will show responsibility and stop selling fireworks to the public."
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