Gas cooking is a significant source of indoor air pollution linked to asthma, heart disease, stroke and other serious health effects.¹ Research² led by CLASP concluded that approximately 36 million people in the United Kingdom (UK) may be exposed to indoor air pollution levels from their gas hobs and ovens that exceed outdoor legal limits of pollutants.

There is currently no policy framework or set of measures aimed at discouraging UK consumers from buying gas hobs or encouraging sales of electric hobs. This is despite the documented health and climate impacts of gas cooking and the wide availability of electric hobs.

This paper is the first of its kind in the UK, advocating for a strategically managed transition from gas to electric cooking. The comprehensive package of policies and measures for government and across industries will help the public escape the unhealthy dependence on natural gas for cooking, reduce consumer exposure to future gas price volatility, and avoid additional long-term costs linked to partial or delayed home decarbonisation. It further recommends targeted support to ensure that cleaner, more efficient electric appliances - particularly induction hobs - become the accessible and affordable standard across all households.

1. Pan H, Jarvis D, Potts J, Casas L, Nowak D, Heinrich J, Aymerich JG, Urrutia I, Martinez-Moratalla J, Gullón JA, Pereira-Vega A, Raherison C, Chanoine S, Demoly P, Leynaert B, Gislason T, Probst N, Abramson MJ, Jõgi R, Norbäck D, Sigsgaard T, Olivieri M, Svanes C, Fuertes E. (2024) Gas cooking indoors and respiratory symptoms in the ECRHS cohort. Int J Hyg Environ Health. Mar;256:114310. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114310. Epub 2024 Jan 6. PMID: 38183794.
2. Blair, H,. Kearney, N., Pricop, C. & Scholand, M. (2023) Exposing the Public Health Impacts of Cooking with Gas in the UK, CLASP and European Public Health Alliance, https://www.clasp.ngo/cook-cleaner-europe/

Download the policy pathway on the transition from gas to electric cooking

Download Policy pathway

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