Calor Gas is stopping the supply of smaller gas bottles with immediate effect.
From 1st February, customers will not be able to buy new cylinders or exchange existing tanks of certain sizes for a refill.
Being withdrawn are the 3.9kg propane, 4.5kg butane and the 6kg Lite bottles.
Cube and 12kg butane cylinders are also discontinued.
The changes will hit people who rely on these handy size cylinders for caravans, motorhomes and boats.
Swapping them for a larger size poses difficulties for those with restricted storage space.
The standard 6kg cylinders are unaffected and will still be available through stockists said Calor.
Obtaining full bottles has been a problem for customers since the pandemic.
Calor is affected by staffing shortages and last year they prioritised the supply of the (large size) key winter cylinders to domestic customers who need them for heating and hot water.
The company said: “Improving our cylinder service is a priority.
“Our existing range of cylinders is creating complexity within our supply chain.
“This means longer changeover times and reduced filling capacity on high volume key sizes. That’s why we’ve taken the difficult decision to reduce our cylinder range, simplifying the business.
“We realise this change will affect customers that rely on these sizes but we know these changes are necessary to significantly improve our cylinder service.”
Rogerio Lopes, Calor’s chief executive, said: “The legacy of the pandemic has had a significant impact on our supply chain, operations, and our ability to provide a reliable service to our cylinder customers.
“The complexity of our existing range prevents us from improving the service.
“Therefore, we’ve taken the difficult decision to streamline our cylinder range, but it is necessary to simplify the business to improve overall reliability and availability to our customers.”
Boating and caravan users impacted by Calor’s decision to axe handy-
20 January 2023