CO2 shortages hit Europe
Food and drink supply chains are being disrupted as gas supplies run low
Carbon dioxide is widely used in the food and drink industry. It adds the fizz to drinks like cola and beer, and in the form of dry ice it helps preserve products by keeping them cool. In Western Europe, CO2 is typically produced as a by-product in factories that make ammonia fertilisers. Several of these factories have closed for the summer or are running reduced operations, leading to a shortage of the valuable gas.
Many food and drink manufacturers are adapting their production processes to try and cope with reduced CO2 and still meet demand, while some stores have taken measures to ration sales of soft drinks.