A MEAT, beer and fizzy drink shortage could hit within days due to the CO2 shortage and rising gas prices.
And supermarket boss has already warned food shortages caused by a lack of the gas could hit this week.
There were fears CO2 shortages would hit Christmas supplies but the boss of Iceland has warned it could hit much sooner.
Iceland’s managing director, Richard Walker, told Radio 4: “This is no longer about whether or not Christmas will be okay, it’s about keeping the wheels turning and the lights on so we can actually get to Christmas.”
Read our gas shortage live blog for the very latest updates...
Milica Cosic 7 minutes ago
CHAOS FEARS
The accusation about Gazprom was made by a group of 40 MEPs, who have asked the European Commission to investigate.
The MEPs said they were suspicious of the company's "effort to pressure" Europe to agree a fast launch to its Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which Putin has been pushing.
They cited as evidence incidents including the recent reduction in Gazprom's production and the company refusing to pump gas through existing pipelines.
"All these factors allow to suspect that the record natural gas price surge in Europe in the recent weeks may be a direct result of Gazprom's deliberate market manipulation," they said.
Nord Stream 2 has faced sanctions from the United States and criticism from other countries wary of the EU increasing its reliance on energy imports from Russia.
The high prices are part of a move to speed the approval of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline Credit: Reuters
Milica Cosic 17 minutes ago
60 PER CENT OF THE UK'S FOOD-GRADE CARBON DIOXIDE SUPPLY CUT
Carbon dioxide is used to stun animals and it is used during the packaging process for all meat to prolong shelf life, as well as in brewing and other food production.
The closure of the two fertiliser plants has cut 60 per cent of the UK's food-grade carbon dioxide supply, said the British Meat Processors Association.
Nick Allen, the chief executive of the BMPA had emergency talks with the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the crisis.
“We’ve had zero warning of the planned closure of the fertiliser plants and, as a result, it’s plunged the industry into chaos,” he said.
"This crisis highlights the fact that the British food supply chain is at the mercy of a small number of major fertiliser producers - four or five companies - spread across northern Europe.
“We rely on a by-product from their production process to keep Britain's food chain moving.”
Milica Cosic 29 minutes ago
VLADIMIR PUTIN ACCUSED OF SENDING GAS PRICES SOARING SO UK SUPERMARKET SHELVES ARE LEFT BARE
Vladimir Putin has been accused of sending gas prices soaring, which threaten to leave supermarket shelves in the UK bare.
The rise in prices of natural gas meant a knock-on effect that has led to food and drink makers warning of “chaos” as supplies to shops are in danger.
Russia’s state-owned Gazprom supplier has been accused of “deliberate market manipulation” to send gas prices to record levels, which it has denied.
That has led to a shortage of carbon dioxide, which is a by-product of fertiliser production - but fertiliser makers have been struggling with high prices.
Vladimir Putin's government owns Gazprom Credit: Reuters
Milica Cosic 32 minutes ago
TIPPING POINT
Ranjit Singh Boparan, owner of UK poultry giant 2 Sisters Food Group, said the decision by CT Industries to halt operations, was a "massive body blow" for the food sector and placed it "at breaking point".
Adam Couch, the boss of pork producer Cranswick said the industry was "already at tipping point ahead of the demanding Christmas period".
"We have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to keep food on the shelves, but there is a real risk of product shortages across the country if the government does not act immediately to address these issues," he added.
Milica Cosic 35 minutes ago
WHAT ELSE IS AFFECTING SHOPS?
A perfect storm of Brexit, HGV driver shortages, and the pandemic have hit product supplies.
A shortage of 100,000 HGV (heavy goods vehicle) drivers, due to early retirement and Brexit, has resulted in nearly empty shelves in some supermarkets.
The current shortage of 100,000 HGV drivers is due to Covid and Brexit, as well as delays in approving haulage licences.
Milica Cosic 37 minutes ago
CRISIS TALKS
The Government headed into crisis talks today as soaring gas prices sparked fears of more energy firms going bust.
There have been warnings that UK supermarkets are 'two weeks away from British meat disappearing' from the shelves.
But it is good news for turkeys – as Bernard Matthews says Xmas will be cancelled without enough CO2 needed to kill birds, extend their shelf life and refrigerate them.
Some slaughterhouses will have to stop work on Friday, meaning empty supermarket chicken shelves from next weekend, and other meat shelves empty the week after, the British Meat Processors Association has warned.
NHS operations are also at risk in weeks, as CO2 is used in some procedures.
A slight food price increase is possible due to the shortage and demand.
Milica Cosic 41 minutes ago
EXPLAINED: WHAT ELSE IS CO2 USED FOR?
The clear odourless gas is a byproduct of ammonia and has plenty of uses.
Food and drink
CO2 is used to change the atmosphere that food is packaged in to extend the shelf life of fresh meat and salads.
About 60 per cent of slaughterhouses rely on it to stun and kill pig and poultry too.
It's also used to carbonate liquid and make them fizzy, like pop including Coke and Pepsi, as well as beers like largar. The gas is also used to treat water and make it safe to drink.
The drinks industry use it to bottle and keg the beer too.
Hospitals
Thanks to its sterilising capabilities, it's used to clean and sterilize equipment at hospitals.
It's also used on patients in some invasive surgery, like in an endoscopy.
The gas is also sometimes given to patients during and after they have had general anesthetic if they have difficulty breathing.
Fire extinguishers and oil industry
Fires feed on oxygen and when there's CO2 in the air there is less of it to burn. Thanks to this property, it's used in fire extinguishers to put them out.
It's used to extract oil too from reserves by pushing the oil through pipes when it's put under high pressure.
Milica Cosic 44 minutes ago
THE CARBON DIOXIDE SHORTAGE IN 2018
A carbon dioxide shortage in 2018 hit thousands of pubs across the country, with some branches of Wetherspoons, Punch, Admiral Taverns and Enterprise Inns left unable to sell draft beer and fizzy drinks.
At that time, Coca-cola also paused some production lines and wholesaler Booker limited sales of some of its lines.
Milica Cosic 47 minutes ago
DRAUGHT BEER SHORTAGE COULD HIT UK ‘WITHIN WEEKS’ DUE TO GAS PRICE HIKES
It comes as a supermarket boss warned food shortages caused by a lack of the gas could hit within days.
There were fears CO2 shortages would hit Christmas supplies but the boss of Iceland has warned it could hit much sooner.
Iceland’s managing director, Richard Walker, told Radio 4: “This is no longer about whether or not Christmas will be okay, it’s about keeping the wheels turning and the lights on so we can actually get to Christmas.”
Lager and cider is flat without breweries using CO2, a byproduct of fertiliser plants shut down by soaring natural gas prices.
It is the worst CO2 shortage for over 40 years.
Milica Cosic 49 minutes ago
CHRISTMAS AT RISK?
Ian Wright, chief executive of the Food and Drink Federation has said that: “production of chicken and other poultry will be pretty severely impacted in the next few days？.？.？.？The continuity of food supply to Christmas is right on the edge.”
He added that if the plants returned to full production this week, “it’s quite likely that consumers and shoppers wouldn’t notice much, though there will be some gaps on shelves”.
Milica Cosic 53 minutes ago
UK POULTRY PRODUCERS TAKE EMERGENCY MEASURES AS GAS SHORTAGE INTENSIFIES
Emergency measures by UK poultry producers have started to be taken to conserve the carbon dioxide used to stun birds for slaughter .
There is a shortage of the gase, and it not only poses a grave threat to the meat supply industry but also Britain’s soft drinks manufacturers.
Manufacturers of soft drink reportedly only have days left of the carbon dioxide.
Milica Cosic 56 minutes ago
HIGHER BILLS
Industry group Oil & Gas UK has said wholesale prices for gas had increased by 250% since January - with a 70% rise since August.
The increase has been blamed on several factors, including a cold winter which left stocks lower than usual, high demand for liquefied natural gas from Asia, and lower supplies from other countries.
Milica Cosic 59 minutes ago
PRODUCTS AFFECTED BY THE GAS SHORTAGE
Gas is fundamental to producing and transporting bread, meat, beer, fizzy drinks to supermarkets.
British Meat Processors Association boss Nick Allen warned that meat producers have two weeks before CO2 stocks run out - bringing the industry to a halt.
Milica Cosic Today, 08:55
WHAT CAUSED THE GAS SHORTAGE?
Some are pointing to the prolonged 2020-2021 winter that drained natural gas stocks, which weren't replenished during the summer months, when demand is low.
Others say low solar and wind output caused by a run in less windy weather and the phasing out of coal-powered plants in recent years has dented supply to the grid and forced natural gas prices to accelerate uncontrollably.
Another theory is that Russia is sending less gas to Europe as exports this year dropped to around one-fifth of pre-pandemic levels, according to i news.
Some believe Moscow is curbing its foreign supply to fill its own tanks while others say Russia is trying to pressure EU governments into approving its controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
Milica Cosic Today, 08:53
WHY IS THERE A GAS SHORTAGE?
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng held talks with energy suppliers at the weekend and is planning an emergency summit with gas industry heads on Tuesday, September 20, 2021, o discuss how to curtail spiralling gas prices.
It comes as Industry group Oil & Gas UK said wholesale prices for gas are up 250 percent since January, according to a BBC report.
Bulb, the UK's sixth-largest power company with 1.7 million customers has also sought a bailout from the government.
No 10 is considering emergency state-backed loans to help firms weather the recent dramatic surge in prices while smaller suppliers face collapse.
On Sunday, COP26 President Alok Sharma told the BBC's Andrew Marr show: "We do not see risks of supplies right now and prices are being protected.
"We have the energy price cap, we have the warm homes discount, to protect people at this particular time."
Load more entries…