Pellet prices: here is the trend for this month of December in England

Wood-pellet buyers woke up this week to a welcome sight – price tags cooling off for the first time since late autumn. Retail quotes across England slid by roughly 7 % compared with November. Not huge, yet enough to put a smile on anyone staring at an empty hopper.

December 2025 : the headline numbers everyone asks first

The typical delivered price now circles £215 per tonne, a level not seen since early spring. Import data from HMRC show a parallel dip, down to the sterling equivalent of $232 per tonne CIF. After 2023’s painful spike above £300, today’s figure feels almost festive.

Why the curve bent down despite rising electricity bills

Two drivers stand out. First, global shipping rates cooled; a container from Halifax to Hull costs 28 % less than in July. Second, a mild November shaved national consumption, leaving wholesalers with fuller yards. One trader in Ipswich joked that he could “build a Bavarian beer garden” out of the extra pallets.

Worth noting – producers in the Baltics cranked up capacity after clearing sustainability audits, flooding northern Europe with fresh stock. That wave reached English ports right on cue for Black Friday, giving retailers space to haggle.

North-south gap : same pellet, different bill

Households in Newcastle still pay about £12 more per tonne than neighbours in Bristol. Distance from Tilbury bulk terminal explains a slice of that. Yet local logistics matter too; a shortage of small haulage firms up north bumps final delivery charges. Funny how a simple drive down the M1 can taste pricier than an imported San Marzano tomato.

What could ruin the calm before January hits ?

Forecasters keep one eye on the jet stream. A sudden cold snap would yank demand overnight. Equally worrying, dockworkers at Immingham are still negotiating a wage deal – a strike there could stall 30 % of pellet inflows. And let’s not ignore currency; if sterling slides below $1.20, every cargo invoice gets fatter.

Despite those clouds, analysts at Hawkins Wright bet on only a modest rebound, citing European inventory at a five-year high. Their chart looks flatter than a day-old Neapolitan pizza crust.

Practical moves shoppers can still make this month

Booking a pallet now locks the December rate before post-holiday volatility. Many garden centres quietly drop a “take two, save £20” offer once Christmas trees clear out, so keep ears open. And please mind stove upkeep – a clean burn pot uses up to 10 % less fuel, the equivalent of one extra cosy night with a Helles beer in hand.

One last nugget – several county councils still run micro-grants for low-emission heating installs. The form takes ten minutes, shorter than baking a Brezn. Cash back might arrive after New Year, yet applying while prices rest low safeguards both wallet and winter comfort. That, in essence, is the December pellet story England has been waiting for.

Élisabeth-Sophie Bonicel

At 38, I am a proud and passionate geek. My world revolves around comics, the latest cult series, and everything that makes pop culture tick. On this blog, I open the doors to my ‘lair’ to share my top picks, my reviews, and my life as a collector