# charcoal in grocery stores **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 3, 2017, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312 "2017-03-03T16:54:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![odea911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b3f665/32.png) [@odea911](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/odea911)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/1 "2017-03-03T16:54:13Z")
I have a “know it all” friend who says that Grilling charcoal briquettes like Kingsford is not supposed to be anywhere near regular grocery store food items such as BBQ sauce, for health inspection reasons. is this true? Would a grocery store get a hit if the health inspector found charcoal near food? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/2 "2017-03-03T17:02:15Z")
BBQ sauce and most other food items (aside from the fresh fruits and veggies aisle) are generally sealed, and grocery store aisles aren’t exactly sterile as it is. I can’t see why anyone would give two hoots if some charcoal dust ended up on your condiment packages, soup cans, cereal boxes, or most other food items. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/3 "2017-03-03T17:05:04Z")
I’ve never heard that about charcoal and I’m pretty well connected to the world of BBQ hobbiests. However, I have noticed signs prohibiting propane tanks anywhere inside the grocery store. This is probably fire code and not food or health related, though. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/4 "2017-03-03T17:13:49Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > I’ve never heard that about charcoal and I’m pretty well connected to the world of BBQ hobbiests. Ditto, and I’ve seen charcoal over in the aisles, although it does seem to be a front-row item in season. > [@](#): > > However, I have noticed signs prohibiting propane tanks anywhere inside the grocery store. This is probably fire code and not food or health related, though. Most fire codes are leery of propane tanks. We weren’t allowed to put any on a moving truck, with dire warnings about what would happen if we did. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/5 "2017-03-03T17:19:01Z")
In the store where I shop, charcoal is at the end of the pet food aisle, nowhere near the BBQ sauce. The BBQ sauce is in an aisle with ketchup, mustard, condiments and salad dressing, which is directly adjacent to the “seasonal” area (currently filled with Easter candy and gifts and toys and other non-food items). So the food safety issue really doesn’t make sense. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/6 "2017-03-03T17:19:11Z")
reminds me of something I heard as a kid … the 2 reasons the charcoal was up front 1 it fit on the bulk dog food rack and 2 it was easier to notice if it caught on fire and was law in some places tho it was always funny to see some ones spouse in the old days sitting of a 40 pound bag of kingsford smoking a cigarette while the others were checking out :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/7 "2017-03-03T17:23:19Z")
It’s all shipped on the same truck. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/8 "2017-03-03T17:35:44Z")
They’re usually near the checkout where the cashiers can keep their eye on them. The idea being that people are drawn to things that are flammable, and cannot resist lighting them on fire. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/9 "2017-03-03T17:49:19Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > …and 2 it was easier to notice if it caught on fire and was law in some places _Caught on fire?_ Have you ever _tried_ to start a charcoal grill? When a grocery store burns down, the only thing left untouched by fire is the bags of charcoal briquets. ---
**Author:** ![I.Dunno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9f8e36/32.png) [@I.Dunno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I.Dunno)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/10 "2017-03-03T18:22:58Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > _Caught on fire?_ > > Have you ever _tried_ to start a charcoal grill? > > When a grocery store burns down, the only thing left untouched by fire is the bags of charcoal briquets. Yeah, I’m literally laughing my ass off at this. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/11 "2017-03-03T18:42:47Z")
Quick trivia: Kingsford charcoal was originally a product of what American industrial giant? Hint: it’s right there in front of ya. Ford. It was a byproduct of a system that started with trees and iron ore and turned every scrap into profit. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/12 "2017-03-03T18:44:24Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > However, I have noticed signs prohibiting propane tanks anywhere inside the grocery store. This is probably fire code and not food or health related, though. My grocery store has (inside) charcoal, charcoal lighter fluid, real wood bundles, wood pellets, pressed wood logs, gas stove canisters, and matches all together in the same row. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/13 "2017-03-03T19:07:02Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > My grocery store has (inside) charcoal, charcoal lighter fluid, real wood bundles, wood pellets, pressed wood logs, gas stove canisters, and matches all together in the same row. propane is flammable, gaseous, heavier than air, and collects in enclosed spaces. They don’t want some numpty dragging a leaking tank into the store and potentially, um, opening all of the doors and windows at once. The materials you listed, on the other hand, are combustible but not flammable. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/14 "2017-03-03T19:09:13Z")
Same reason propane-fuelled vehicles aren’t allowed in the underground levels of parking garages. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/15 "2017-03-03T19:57:06Z")
> [@odea911](#): > > I have a “know it all” friend who says that Grilling charcoal briquettes like Kingsford is not supposed to be anywhere near regular grocery store food items such as BBQ sauce, for health inspection reasons. is this true? Would a grocery store get a hit if the health inspector found charcoal near food? Do not accept birth control advice from your friend. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/16 "2017-03-03T20:09:33Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > _Caught on fire?_ > > Have you ever _tried_ to start a charcoal grill? > > When a grocery store burns down, the only thing left untouched by fire is the bags of charcoal briquets. Well, that Match Light stuff is kind of sneaky, maybe it spontaneously ignites? Keep it out of a sunny window with a goldfish bowl on the sill. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/17 "2017-03-03T20:25:44Z")
> [@I.Dunno](#): > > Yeah, I’m literally laughing my ass off at this. Literally laughing your ass off? You’d better see a doctor, quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/18 "2017-03-03T21:02:09Z")
I do often see the small sealed canisters in the store, even the grocery store. I guess they’ll considered less of a hazard, even by the gross. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/19 "2017-03-03T22:10:13Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Most fire codes are leery of propane tanks. We weren’t allowed to put any on a moving truck, with dire warnings about what would happen if we did. How are you supposed to get it home? ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312/20 "2017-03-03T22:30:02Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > How are you supposed to get it home? Maybe you have to have a car? Not a truck. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-in-grocery-stores/781312.md?page=2)