Pubs and retailers are hoping for an end to the carbon dioxide crisis next week after one major producer of CO2, which is used in brewing, animal slaughter and food packaging, reopened its plant on Friday.
The production of crumpets, beer, fizzy drinks, fresh chicken and pork has been affected by shortages of CO2 over the past 10 days, amid longer than expected shutdowns at ammonia and ethanol plants, key producers of the gas, across Europe.
Three out of five key UK producers have been shut down, hitting the country particularly hard.
The shortages also come at a time of high demand prompted by the hot weather and World Cup football, leaving some businesses short of stock.
Ensus said its ethanol plant in Wilton, near Redcar, had already begun producing CO2, a by-product of its fuel production process, which it supplies to Praxair, a major distributor of food-grade gas and dry ice to food and drink firms around the country. The plant produces 340,000 tonnes of CO2 a year.
An ammonia and fertiliser plant run by CF Fertilisers, based in Billingham, Teesside, which is another key source of CO2 in the UK, is expected to restart on Monday.
JD Wetherspoon anticipates it will return to normal early next week. Currently, a small number of its pubs do not have John Smiths ale or Strongbow cider, both brewed by Heineken, on draught. Heineken said its breweries were working at “full capacity” to serve customers as soon as possible.
However, meat producers warned that some production lines had been suspended because there was not sufficient gas for packing. CO2 is used to help preserve fresh meat in sealed packs.
