There are fears that Christmas dinner could be ‘cancelled’, thanks to a shortage of carbon dioxide (CO2), the UK’s biggest poultry supplier has warned.
The unprecedented rise in gas prices has forced the closures of two large fertiliser plants in Teesside and Cheshire, which supply CO2 produced as a by-product to the food industry.
The gas is vital in cooling systems used to refrigeration, meaning frozen food is likely to be badly hit. It also extends the shelf-life of products and is used while slaughtering livestock.
Industry experts are warning that the shortage is likely to be impact meat supplies on supermarket shelves the week after next.
The owner of Bernard Matthews and 2 Sisters Food Group says the issue, combined with a shortage of workers, will impact the supply of Christmas turkeys and could tip the industry ‘over the edge’.
Ranjit Singh Boparan explained: ‘There are less than 100 days left until Christmas and Bernard Matthews and my other poultry businesses are working harder than ever before to try and recruit people to maintain food supplies.
‘Nothing has fundamentally changed since I spoke about this issue in July. In fact, I take no pleasure in pointing out that the gaps on the shelves I warned about then are getting bigger by the day.’
He continued: ‘The supply of Bernard Matthews turkeys this Christmas was already compromised as I need to find 1,000 extra workers to process supplies. Now with no CO2 supply, Christmas will be cancelled.
‘The CO2 issue is a massive body blow and puts us at breaking point, it really does – that’s poultry, beef, pork, as well as the wider food industry.
‘Without CO2, the bottom line is there is less throughput and with our sector already compromised with lack of labour, this potentially tips us over the edge.’
The intervention is far from the first warning about supplies to the UK over Christmas, including to wine, and comes amid various shortages across the country, which experts have partly blamed on Brexit, Covid and staff shortages.
The Government met with a number of industry leaders on Saturday to discuss CO2 issues and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng tweeted that there is no ‘cause for immediate concern’ over the supply of gas in the UK.
But Mr Boparan went on to warn that having to keep poultry on farms will compromise animal welfare as well significant reductions in supply.
He added: ‘Ready meals (will) lose that vital shelf life. There is potential for massive food waste across the board.
‘This is clearly a national security issue and unlike the labour supply crisis, where the Government response to our sector has been disappointing to say the least, it has to be dealt with as a matter of urgency.
‘It really beggars belief when such a key infrastructure operation can arbitrarily decide to switch off the taps because of price inflation. It is irresponsible and catastrophic for our sector.’
He continued: ‘It’s tough enough having one hand tied behind our backs by simply not having enough people to supply food.
‘With the CO2 on top of this, both hands are tied. Government need to act now or we’ll have another cancelled Christmas.’
Ian Wright, the chief executive of the UK Food and Drink Federation, told BBC Radio 4 on Saturday the Government needs to make an ‘intervention’ on gas prices.
He went on to say: ‘Assuming that doesn’t happen, I would have thought that the impacts would be felt probably not by this time next week, but into the week after that.
‘And of course, that’s concerning because we’re beginning to get into the pre-Christmas supply period when warehouses begin to pick up, build up their stocks, ready for the push to Christmas a few weeks later.’
A Defra spokesman said: ‘We are aware of the issues faced by some businesses and are working closely with industry to provide support and advice.
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‘We have had extensive meetings with representatives from the meat production and processing sectors, and we are continuing those conversations over the weekend.
‘The UK benefits from having access to highly diverse sources of gas supply to ensure households, businesses and heavy industry get the energy they need at a fair price.
‘Our exposure to volatile global gas prices underscores the importance of our plan to build a strong, home-grown renewable energy sector to further reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.’
Cop26 President and former Business Secretary Alok Sharma said the public should be reassured that there is no immediate cause for concern.
‘The clear message that is coming out of this is that there is no immediate concern in terms of supply, we don’t see any risks going into the winter,’ he told Sky News’s Trevor Phillips on Sunday programme.
‘People should be confident that the supplies will be there and that we will be protecting them in terms of price rises. But of course we are not complacent about this.’
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