First beer and fizzy drinks, now CO2 crisis could cause a chicken shortage
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the gas that's used to pump bubbles into fizzy drinks but it is also used in the slaughtering and packaging of poultry
BRITAIN is facing an unprecidented chicken, beer and fizzy drinks shortage due to a lack of supply of carbon dioxide in Europe.
The CO2 gas is used for slaughtering poultry and in packaging to prolong the shelf-life of meat.
It is also used to add bubbles - or carbonate - to beer and fizzy drinks, with supermarkets and pubs at risk of running low on supplies.
Now nine of the UK's largest poultry plans are now facing a critical shortage of the gas.
It means that up to 60 per cent of the UK's poultry processing plans could be knocked-out within days.
The boss of the British Poultry Council, Richard Griffiths, warned that a shortage of poultry on supermarket shelves and restaurants like Nando's, McDonald's and KFC could be possible.
It is not the first time that the UK has faced a chicken shortage.
Hundreds of KFC branches were closed after the firm switched delivery firms, sparking a fried chicken shortage.
While Tesco suffered a "minor" problem with availability of fresh chicken due to a change in packaging earlier this month.
The shortage also affects beer and fizzy drink production, with Heineken warning of plummeting stock of Amstel and John Smith brands, according to .
Wetherspoons, which has over 1,000 pubs across the UK, warned that supply of draught lager and fizzy drinks could be cut off within days.
The shortage of gas has been heightened due to warm weather across Europe and World Cup when demand for fizzy drinks and beer is higher than normal.
Meanwhile there's a double blow for England fans hoping to enjoy a pint during the World Cup - as Russia faces a beer shortage too.
Brigid Simmonds, boss of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: "We are aware of a situation affecting the availability of CO2 across Europe, which has now started to impact beer producers in the UK.
"We have recommended our members continue to liaise with their providers directly where they have concerns over supply."
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