CO2 crisis hits meat supplies
MEAT supplies could start to run low in UK shops because of the carbon dioxide shortage as ministers faced calls to intervene.
Supermarkets warned customers that some products were already unavailable and that shelves were expected to be empty of certain foods within days.
CO2 is used for carbonating soft drinks, packaging a wide range of products including meat and bakery items such as crumpets, and in the slaughter of pigs and chickens.
The unprecedented shortage was caused by the shutdown of several ammonia factories – which produce CO2 as a by-product – and has been exacerbated by the increase in demand for food and drink due to the hot June weather and the World Cup.
Several suppliers and food packaging companies have begun to slow or halt production. Experts estimate that the food and drink sector could take at least a month to recover even if CO2 supplies are restored next week. Frozen foods have also been affected, with Ocado warning last night that it was unable to deliver many items without carbon dioxide to keep dry ice intact inside its vans.
Morrisons also said it was unable to sell many of the frozen ready meals advertised on its website. Iceland and Lidl both reported a shortage of fizzy drinks, and Asda was yesterday rationing sales of soft drinks as people were blocked from buying any more than six bottles or multipacks on its website. Coca-cola has said its UK bottling plant has been interrupted by the shortage.
The latest warnings come after Warburtons, the UK’S biggest crumpet manufacturer, said that it was halting production at two of its four plants, while Booker, a drinks wholesaler to bars and restaurants, is rationing sales.
Supply of CO2 tightened as early as April as some ammonia plants closed for maintenance, but the industry is now facing a “perfect storm” because other plants have had to close due to technical issues. Nick Allen, the chief executive of the British Meat Processors Association, said: “I think that there might be quite a lot less on the supermarket shelves by this time next week.”
The British Poultry Council said its members were living “day to day”.
Some packaging plants are running short hours and telling staff to take holidays, and abattoirs will be forced to scale back on slaughter.
The lack of CO2 available to stun pigs and chickens could also affect supply and potentially have an impact on animal welfare. Scotland’s biggest abattoir has already closed until further notice.
Mr Allen said that the lack of official information made it impossible to plan. He called on the Government to put pressure on manufacturers to reopen.
Andrew Griffiths, the business minister, said: “We are assured by the industry that production should restart very shortly and return to full capacity quickly after.”