UK FIREWORK SHOPS vs AMERICAN FIREWORK SHOPS
As 4th of July is fast upon us, FIREWORKS KINGDOM takes a look at how firework shops in the USA compare to the firework shops in the UK. We would like to take you around both a UK firework shop and a US firework shop and highlight the big differences between the two countries. America does not celebrate Bonfire night like we do in the UK this is because it is a British tradition that remembers the failed gunpowder plot on Westminster in 1605. America however has the 4th July also known as Independence Day. In 1776 on the 4th July, 13 representatives from the North American colonies of Great Britain voted to declare themselves independent from the crown. To celebrate the occasion Americans all over the world have street parties and use fireworks to mark this massive event in American History.
As the UK and USA have such affection for fireworks we thought it would be fitting to compare how shops look and how they trade in America vs a firework shop UK. Let’s start with our firework shop here in the UK (Fireworks Kingdom).
UK FIREWORK SHOP – FIREWORKS KINGDOM
First things first when it comes to firework shops in the UK you will notice that most shops are relatively small and display their goods using “dummy fireworks”. Dummy fireworks are essentially the real product minus the explosive content as live fireworks are not allowed to be displayed on shop floors unless they are displayed in locked firework cabinets to avoid and reduce risk to the public when shopping in a firework shop.
Firework shops in the UK have long had strict rules on selling fireworks and we have to adhere to strict storage rules and licensing terms and conditions. As part of the conditions to obtaining a license to store and sell fireworks you must ensure you have all of the following in place:
- Purchased Storage licence (explosive weight allocation to be decided by the local authority after inspection)
- Fire extinguisher (in date and serviced)
- Smoke alarms
- Lockable store room for live stock
- Dummies for displaying products or cabinets if needed.
After all this your fireworks license is still not guaranteed and you premises must be inspected to ensure all of the above are in order. When purchasing a license in the UK the local authority will determine how many fireworks that you are able to store and the type of fireworks you are able to sell and store at the premises and if you are over this weight you could be faced with being fined.
SO HOW DO AMERICAN FIREWORKS COMPARE?
Whilst the UK generally mostly the same rules on fireworks throughout the country, America has different regulations for almost every state. For example consumer fireworks for the general public can be purchased in 46 states, with places such as Ohio, Vermont and Illinois only allowing the sale of sparklers and other smaller firework-like goods. Massachusetts doesn’t allow even sparklers to be purchased!
For the majority of states that do sell fireworks, most of the publicly available Roman Candles, Fountains, Barrages and so on can only have up to 50-100mg of gunpowder (significantly less then what we can have surprisingly enough). Also funnily enough depending on which state you live in the minimum age to purchase fireworks can vary from as old as 21 to as young as 12! (even without a parent/guardian present).
One thing they definitely do have over UK is the sheer variety of fireworks they have to offer. They have products such as parachute rockets, shells, firecrackers and much more (some of which were available here a long time ago but have since been banned with regulations getting stricter over time).
HOW DOES THE AMERICAN FIREWORK SHOP COMPARE?
Simply put fireworks are just as easy to order in the US as much they are here. You can purchase them online, in store or even in pop-ups! Regardless of where you get them from, it’s always best to check the rules in that state first before putting fireworks into your basket... Straight from the shelves!
From the other perspective if you want to sell fireworks in the US, you will need a Federal Explosives License from the ATF. Applying for this requires a full background check as well as ID and even Fingerprints! The full breakdown for their licensing requirements can be found here.
As you can see in the above image, all product for sale is live on table-tops ready for the consumer to pick up and puchase. This is not something that is allowed in the uk, with any fireworks in our windows being fake for display purposes only.
The Spirit of 76 Fireworks was kind enough to provide us with some images or their stores to show the contrast in how they are marketed and purchased in the US. If you are from America or are just visiting, feel free to check them out further at 76fireworks.com.
