DE4CC0DE-5FC3-4494-BCBF-4D50B00366B5

UK Meat Processor Cranswick Says CO2 Shortages Could Halt Production

By Dayeeta Das
Share this article
UK Meat Processor Cranswick Says CO2 Shortages Could Halt Production

London-listed meat processor Cranswick warned on Monday that a shortage of carbon dioxide in Britain coupled with a labour crunch could bring production to a halt throughout the supply chain ahead of Christmas.

Cranswick boss Adam Couch urged the government, which has been in emergency talks with the energy industry to deal with soaring gas prices, to act immediately to avert 'a major crisis in the food industry.'

"The industry is already at tipping point ahead of the demanding Christmas period," Couch said in a statement.

"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 .... CO2 shortages could effectively bring production to a halt."

Shares in the company whose products range from fresh pork and gourmet sausages to continental foods were down nearly 3% at £36.48 on the midcap index by 10:02 GMT.

ADVERTISEMENT

Carbon Dioxide And Meat Production

Carbon dioxide is used to stun animals before slaughter, in the vacuum packing of food products to extend their shelf life, and to put the fizz into beer, cider and soft drinks.

Couch did not say why he thought there was a shortage of the gas nor did Cranswick, which produces and supplies food to grocery retailers, elaborate on its supply levels or say how long it could carry on without more CO2.

Britain's meat industry on Friday warned that an impending shortage of carbon dioxide could cause massive disruption to food supplies within two weeks.

Britain's food supply chain, creaking from a shortage of lorry drivers and the impact of Brexit and COVID-19, is heavily reliant on fertiliser producers for CO2 which is a by-product of their production process.

ADVERTISEMENT

However, two of the largest fertiliser producers, Norway's Yara and rival CF Industries Holdings, have curbed production due to a surge in natural gas prices, which has in turn started to dry up CO2 supplies.

News by Reuters, edited by ESM. For more A-Brands news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.

Get the week's top grocery retail news

The most important stories from European grocery retail direct to your inbox every Thursday

Processing your request...

Thanks! please check your email to confirm your subscription.

By signing up you are agreeing to our terms & conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.