I have searched most combinations of words on google for the UK and come up with a complete blank - hence the original question.
It looks like the Netherlands are a much more competitive market. The UK has been nailed by Calor for the mobile consumer with a wider range of players for the 16kg up 'static' market. Calor have no interest in moving forward while they can milk the steel containers out there. Their efforts to kill the refillable cylinders by not letting them be refilled in petrol stations where they are the provider is part of that effort.
Reading between the lines of what BP are up to in the UK is that they see the home user [as against the mobile caravan user] a substantial market worth taking on calor. They are keen to sign on suppliers for a new product that looks competitively priced and represents a significant user in terms of gas volume.
Us mobile users are really at the bottom of the pile...because we don't use enough gas to make us an attractive market for the gas producers ...and we don't consume cylinders in enough quantity. Guessing as an engineer involved with such things - the BP cylinder must cost £30 or £40 to make, which means the only way to pay for it is to cover it by selling yonks of gas...cuts out us mobile users!!
Europe has clearly developed a much wider and more competitive market. In theory it could spread to the UK - but the infrastructure costs mean it isn't worth any company starting up. You only need to see the varied selection of gas bottles outside a french supermarket to see the competition in action.
------------- Cheers
Pete
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