The Warehouse to stop selling fireworks

Fireworks will no longer be sold at the Warehouse.

The company said the decision to discontinue the sale of fireworks was driven by customer research, which showed that more than half of those surveyed preferred to attend public fireworks displays than have fireworks at home.

Twenty-eight per cent didn't participate in fireworks at all.

Chief product officer Tania Benyon said the sale of fireworks no longer held true to The Warehouse values.

"Like any of our product ranges, we assess them and we and make changes accordingly," she 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.

The sale of fireworks has long been controversial, with animal activists being some of the loudest critics.

Debra Ashton, the chief executive of SAFE, welcomed the decision.

"There is strong evidence that fireworks can cause both psychological and physical harm to animals, so reducing the public sale of fireworks should help to minimise that," Ashton said.

"The Warehouse has shown strong leadership, so let's hope that others will follow."

The Warehouse is turning its back on fireworks. Photo / Getty Images

Criticism has also been levelled by emergency medical staff, who are required to attend to many injuries caused by fireworks every year.

ACC data recorded between 2010 and 2019 showed 2710 claims for injuries caused by fireworks.

This amounted to a cost of nearly $2 million to New Zealand taxpayers over the decade.