With spring bringing milder conditions to Britain, LPG specialists Jefferson Gas examined the nation’s barbecue patterns to determine how people would be preparing their grilled food this season.

Despite charcoal traditionally coming to mind when barbecues are discussed, trends over recent years have shown a rise in those opting for gas to power their outdoor cooking.

Looking at Google search data from May 2025, which represented the busiest period for barbecue queries last year, the analysis revealed that every UK region except one conducted more searches for gas barbecues than charcoal ones, suggesting a change in popular preference.

Across the country, Britain recorded 1,256,140 searches relating to gas barbecues and 1,187,950 for charcoal barbecues during that month, representing a 5.74% margin in gas’s favour overall.

While England recorded the greatest volume of searches overall, the preference for gas there was just 1.6%, whereas Northern Ireland displayed the most significant percentage gap at 85.74% between gas and charcoal searches.

The capital stood out as the sole area where charcoal searches exceeded those for gas, with a 5.2% differential. Every other region demonstrated higher search volumes for gas compared to charcoal, pointing to a definite national inclination towards gas-powered cooking.

Steve Ferguson from Jefferson Gas explained the distinctions between gas and charcoal barbecues.

A summer barbecue represents a tradition that British people both anticipate and approach with trepidation, given the unpredictability of sudden rain showers and the risk of undercooking or burning food, Steve observed.

The shift towards gas appears entirely logical, as barbecue technology has advanced considerably over time. With charcoal, achieving the appropriate temperature can require 30 to 45 minutes, and extended cooking sessions necessitate adding more fuel to sustain the heat as it burns through.

Gas barbecues conversely offer simpler ignition, reaching cooking temperature in approximately 15 minutes, with temperature then regulated by a thermostat.

Flavour frequently emerges as a distinguishing factor, with charcoal inherently imparting a smoky quality to grilled items, delivering that characteristic barbecue taste.

Gas lacks this natural smoky element, and for certain enthusiasts this equates to missing a fundamental component of the barbecue experience. Nevertheless, gas barbecue users frequently employ a smoke box or comparable accessory with wood chips on one of the burners to replicate that same flavour.

Others choose to purchase a charcoal tray and simply use the gas function to heat the charcoal more rapidly, thereby combining the advantages of both authentic taste and rapid heating.

The most significant distinction, however, relates to environmental impact, Steve stated.

It has been calculated that throughout its operational lifespan, a charcoal barbecue generates up to 998kg of CO2 equivalents, while a gas barbecue produces approximately 349kg of identical emissions, indicating that charcoal releases roughly three times the amount of CO2 equivalents compared to gas.