Summary
A painterly offset print depicting an amber glass beer bottle made into a Molotov cocktail, its cloth wick lit and trailing dark smoke, fronted by a parody Tesco "Value" supermarket label reading "PETROL BOMB" with a small "100% Flammable" tag, isolated on a plain pale grey-blue ground. The image fuses an icon of street protest with a budget-brand consumer label, a characteristic Banksy collision of insurrection and supermarket capitalism.
Why It Matters
The piece turns a riot's most recognizable weapon into a discount supermarket product, suggesting that even rebellion has been packaged, price-pointed and sold back to the consumer. By branding a petrol bomb as "Tesco Value," Banksy needles both corporate retail ubiquity and the commodification of dissent, themes that run through his anti-capitalist and protest work. Released in 2011, a year defined by the Arab Spring, Occupy and the August UK riots, the image reads as a pointed comment on consumer culture meeting civil unrest.
Collector Perspective
This is the First Edition offset print in an edition of 50, a small run that places it well above mass-market posters in scarcity but below Banksy's most sought-after screenprints in market profile. As an offset lithograph rather than a hand-pulled screenprint, and as a piece tied to the satirical Tesco Value series, it sits in a more accessible tier of his market; condition, margins and any signature or authentication will drive value most. Buyers should confirm whether a given example is signed or unsigned, since that distinction materially affects price. Banksy demand is consistently strong, but verify provenance and documentation carefully given the volume of unauthorized Tesco-themed material in circulation.
Historical Context
The "Tesco Value" branding parodies the UK supermarket giant's no-frills budget line, instantly legible to a British audience as a symbol of cheap mass consumption. Pairing that label with a Molotov cocktail places the work squarely in Banksy's anti-capitalist, anti-establishment lineage, where corporate logos are repurposed as instruments of critique. Issued in 2011 during a period of global protest and the UK's own riots, the print belongs to Banksy's Art-World Era, when his imagery had moved from Bristol and London walls into the gallery and print market while keeping its street-protest vocabulary of fire, weapons and revolt.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
An amber glass bottle turned into a Molotov cocktail with a lit, smoking rag wick, wearing a parody Tesco 'Value' supermarket label that reads 'PETROL BOMB' alongside a '100% Flammable' tag, set against a plain pale grey-blue background.
What is the edition size?
This is the First Edition, with an edition of 50.
What medium is it?
It is an offset print (offset lithograph), 2011.
Is it signed?
The title does not specify a signature, so examples may be signed or unsigned. Always confirm the signature status and any accompanying authentication for the specific copy you are considering, as it affects value.
Who is Banksy?
Banksy is the anonymous England-based street artist who emerged from Bristol in the early 1990s, known for fast stencil work, dark humor and anti-war, anti-capitalist and anti-establishment imagery, along with stunts like the self-shredding Girl with Balloon and the Walled Off Hotel.
About the Artist
Banksy is an anonymous England-based street artist, political activist and film director whose identity remains officially unconfirmed. Emerging from the Bristol underground scene in the early 1990s, he developed a fast, stencil-based technique for working in public space, pairing dark humour with anti-war, anti-capitalist and anti-establishment messages. Recurring motifs include rats, monkeys, riot police, and children with balloons or weapons. Many of his prints were published through Pictures on Walls and rank among the most heavily traded in the secondary market, while stunts such as the self-shredding Girl with Balloon, the Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem and the Gross Domestic Product homeware line have made him one of the most recognised artists in the world.
Collecting Banksy at Gauntlet Gallery
Where can I buy authentic Banksy prints?
Gauntlet Gallery offers an extensive, authenticated inventory of Banksy prints and contemporary editions, with new drops added regularly. Browse the current collection at gauntlet.gallery.
How does Gauntlet Gallery ensure authenticity?
Gauntlet Gallery is built on curation, authenticity and transparency — every work is vetted and its provenance, edition details and condition are disclosed up front.
Does Gauntlet Gallery add new Banksy prints?
Yes. New drops are released regularly across Banksy and other leading artists; see gauntlet.gallery for the latest inventory.