Fireworks sales unlikely to match last year's record

Dutch people are not expected to purchase as many fireworks this year as last year, when a record was set for the amount of revenue the sales generated. Through Friday, consumers had ordered about as many fireworks online compared to a year earlier, said Leo Groeneveld, the chair of Dutch pyrotechnic association BPN. He revised that on Wednesday, saying he doubts whether the sales record of 2022 will be achieved.

Last year, people bought 110 million euros of fireworks during the entire sales period. "It will be quite a challenge to match that turnover," says Groeneveld. He said he hopes that people will buy about as many decorative fireworks as last year, although that also depends on the weather on New Year's Eve.

But he has become less optimistic, because sales of children's fireworks are lagging behind. This includes, for example, sparklers and snap pops. "Normally, after Sinterklaas, boys walk around outside with children's fireworks. That is much less now because of the bad weather."

Retailers will also miss out on a key sales day this year, in Groeneveld's opinion. Consumers are allowed to purchase fireworks from December 28 to 30. December 31 is not an official sales day, because that date falls on a Sunday. Still, people have been allowed to order fireworks online for some time now. Groeneveld was not yet able to provide figures on the volume of fireworks ordered so far this year.

People are allowed to set off fireworks from 6 p.m. on December 31 though 2 a.m. on January 1. A new law which started last year only allows for decorative fireworks, and not large explosives without a visual effect. Children's fireworks are generally allowed all year.

Some municipalities have designated fireworks-free zones this year or have a ban on setting off fireworks. More than 50 municipalities told ANP that they are in favor of a national ban. According to the municipalities, this is easier to enforce than local bans. Furthermore, the mayor of Woerden, Victor Molkenboer, mentioned noise pollution and the environmental pollution caused by fireworks as reasons for a ban. Voorne aan Zee said a national ban is "the only way" to limit fireworks damage and its costs.

Earlier Wednesday, the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) announced that a fifth of the decorative fireworks it tested before they could be sold to consumers had been rejected. Products were mainly rejected because burning parts flew outside of a minimum safe radius of eight meters.