Britons to buy 8m mini fans this year – but almost half will end up in landfill | Retail industry

Britons “flooding the market” in hot weather are expected to buy around 8 million mini fans this year; But almost half of these are expected to be low-quality products that will end up in landfills within a year.

Waste managers and recycling campaigners have raised concerns, with the number of online searches for electric-powered handheld fans selling for as little as £2 already exceeding the figure seen in the whole of 2025 in the first six months of this year.

A heatwave in late June caused Google searches to more than double compared to the previous month, according to data provided by campaign group Material Focus.

Electrical goods retailers confirm that demand for cooling technology is increasing. Online specialist Joybuy said sales of all-electric fans rose more than 2,500% on a weekly basis during last month’s heatwave. A Chinese group selling handheld fans for less than £5 sparked the trend by giving away 6,000 of them for free at transport hubs in London.

John Lewis said sales of its £15 neck supporter more than tripled during the heatwave, while the boss of Currys admitted it was facing a shortage of fans after sales rose almost 3,000% on the hottest weekend compared to the week before.

Temperatures in the UK could exceed 30C for 10 consecutive days from the middle of this week, with top temperatures forecast to reach 34C.

Scott Butler, chief executive of electrical goods recycling campaign group Material Focus, urged people to look for better quality products or alternatives. as paper fans and take the broken items to a local authority. recycling plant.

“Mini fans, one of the poster children of fast technology, first appeared en masse last year, and more are flooding the market during this heatwave, helping us cope with this extreme heat,” he said.

“But many are thrown away or forgotten as soon as they are purchased, sitting at the bottom of our disaster drawers. Instead, with a little more thought, we can buy a product that might last a little longer, work just as well, but be better for the environment.”

Last year the group calculated that 55% of mini fans were thrown away, and with around 7.9 million units expected to be purchased in the UK in 2026, 4.3 million units are likely to be thrown away this year if last year’s habits continue.

Waste managers said they had yet to see an increase in the number of single-use fans turning up during litter collection, but users should avoid putting used items in bins and should contact local councils or retailers for take-back plans.

Richard Hudson, policy and technical director at the Chartered Institute of Waste Management, said: “Any electrical product incorrectly disposed of for kerbside recycling or waste collection sites can cause problems for waste processors.

“These items are crushed and damaged during collection tours and, because they contain high-power lithium-ion batteries, they can easily catch fire, causing serious risks to workers, equipment, waste facilities and the wider environment.

“Mass production of cheap, low-quality electrical parts that are not designed for long life or without consideration for end-of-life management is a major user of scarce critical raw materials.”