Patio heaters have seen a big increase in popularity in the past year: Since the introduction of indoor smoking bans in many European countries, smokers can often be found huddled under the heaters as they take their nicotine breaks outside of bars and restaurants. In some countries, the UK in particular, the heaters have also proved to be an effective way to extend outdoor eating beyond the 3 days per year usually permitted by the weather.

Many larger retailers have already removed the heaters from their shelves, considering them to be particularly anti-social products due to their heavy energy usage. However, many smokers and outdoor diners may soon be quitting the habit or shivering in the cold as the heaters and are set to be banned outright under new legislation currently being considered by the European Parliament.

Leading the proposal, European Member of Parliament Fiona Hall said "Patio heaters are scandalous because they are burning fossil fuels in the open sky, so producing vast quantities of CO2 with very little heat benefit.”

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