UK mini fan sales expected to reach 8 million this year, many headed for landfill
10 reported
Britons are expected to buy nearly 8 million mini fans this year, with almost half projected to be low-quality products that end up in landfill within a year, according to a report from The Guardian. Waste managers and recycling campaigners have raised concerns as online searches for electrically powered handheld fans, some selling for as little as £2, have already surpassed the total for all of 2025 in the first six months of 2026. The late June heat surge caused Google searches to more than double from the previous month, according to data from the campaign group Material Focus. Electrical goods retailers have confirmed increased demand, with Joybuy reporting sales of all electrical fans up more than 2,500% week on week during last month’s heatwave, and John Lewis noting sales of its £15 neck fan more than tripled. The boss of Currys stated that fans were in short supply after sales rose almost 3,000% over the hottest weekend compared with a week earlier. Temperatures in the UK could exceed 30C for up to 10 consecutive days from mid-week, with peak temperatures of 34C forecast. Scott Butler of Material Focus urged people to seek better-quality products or alternatives such as paper fans and to recycle broken items.
What’s reported
Britons are expected to buy nearly 8 million mini fans in 2026.
Almost half of those are expected to be low-quality products that end up in landfill within a year.
Online searches for handheld fans in the first six months of 2026 have already surpassed the total for all of 2025.
The late June heat surge caused Google searches to more than double from the previous month.
Joybuy reported sales of all electrical fans up more than 2,500% week on week during last month’s heatwave.
John Lewis said sales of its £15 neck fan more than tripled during the heatwave.
The boss of Currys stated that fans were in short supply after sales rose almost 3,000% over the hottest weekend.
Temperatures in the UK could exceed 30C for up to 10 consecutive days from mid-week, with peak temperatures of 34C forecast.
Last year, Material Focus calculated that 55% of mini fans were thrown away.
Waste managers said they had not yet seen a rise in disposable fans in refuse collections.
Key figures
Scott Butler, executive director of Material Focus
Richard Hudson, policy and technical manager at the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management
Sources: The Guardian
