Firm raises cost of a bag of coal

Supermarkets are importing coal from the UK

One of Jersey's major coal suppliers has announced it is putting its prices up by about 20%.

Patch Distributors has increased the cost of a bag of house coal from £10.20 to £12.20.

It follows the decision of the island's other main coal supplier, Jersey Coal, to raise its prices by 20% in September.

And Jersey Electricity has already announced that it is putting its prices up by 24% from 1 January 2009.

The Channel Islands Co-op said it plans to import cheaper coal from the UK, although it will still use local suppliers as well.

Checkers supermarket already imports coal from the UK.