WHAT’S GOING FLAT

BEER AND PUBS

CO2 is needed to pump the fizz into beers that are mass-produced in kegs. It is also used to pump the beer to the taps. Heineken has warned pubs it is unable to supply John Smith’s Extra Smooth bitter or Amstel lager. Pub chain Wetherspoon says there is a good chance that some drinks will be unavailable very soon.

SOFT DRINKS

CO2 provides the bubbles in soft drinks. The Tesco website lists its own-label fizzy drinks, Schweppes lemonade and Dr Pepper as ‘currently unavailable’. Other supermarkets are expected to have supply issues.

FRESH CHICKEN

CO2 is used in the slaughter of the birds, which are suffocated using the gas. The British Poultry Council says nine of the UK’s 15 largest poultry processing plants could be forced to a halt within days if they do not get supplies, causing a shortage of fresh chicken on supermarket shelves in the next fortnight.

PACKAGING

Food companies selling meat, mixed salads and other fresh produce - such as berries - put them in ‘modified atmosphere’ packaging. This involves using CO2, rather than normal air containing oxygen, to slow the growth of bacteria that would make the contents go off. The technique extends product life and, in theory, reduces food waste.

PORK

Some abattoirs use CO2 to suffocate pigs before slaughter. A lack of supplies will hit the production of pork, bacon and sausages.