CO2 shortage: British pubs pledge they won't run out of beer over bumper World Cup weekend despite fears

A European CO2 shortage sparked fears Britain could run out of beer, fizzy and drinks and chicken
EPA
Tom Powell22 June 2018

Pubs up and down the country have reassured World Cup fans that beer will not stop flowing this weekend despite a major carbon dioxide shortage hitting the industry.

Fears have been growing that the UK could soon run out of beer, fizzy drinks and even chicken amid the worst CO2 shortfall the country has seen in decades.

It comes at a challenging time as pubs prepare for a bumper weekend with England taking on Panama on Sunday, as well as five other World Cup games, Royal Ascot and the Queen’s tennis final.

But pub giant Wetherspoons confirmed today that it still has stocks of drinks and is in “constant contact” with suppliers over the issue.

England fans celebrate Harry Kane's winning goal against Tunisia in a London pub (PA Wire/PA Images)
PA

Spokesperson Eddie Gershon told the Standard: “At the moment there is not an awful lot we can do. Nothing has ran out and we still have stocks for this weekend.

“The main supplier affected is Heineken so if any drinks do run out it would be John Smith’s, Strongbow ciders and a few beers.”

A spokesperson for Mitchells & Butlers, who run Nicholson’s pubs, added: “We are currently not expecting any supply issues and will continue to trade as normal.

“We are keeping in close contact with all of our suppliers and our pubs are well stocked ready for the football this weekend.”

England Fans in Volgograd

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The timing of England’s 1pm kick-off is perfect for pubs, with many thousands of families and groups of friends expected to “make a day of it” by booking tables to watch. It is also forecast to be a scorching weekend with temperatures around 25C.

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) estimated that an extra four million pints will be consumed during the Panama match.

But BBPA Chief Executive Brigid Simmonds admitted the CO2 shortage across Europe has started to impact beer producers in the UK, as well as the farming and food manufacturing sectors.

She said: “We have recommended our members to continue to liaise with their providers directly where they have concerns over supply, and are continuing to monitor the situation carefully.

“However, given the time of year and the World Cup, this situation has arisen at an unfortunate time for the brewing industry.”

She also called on the Government to look into increasing the capacity for CO2 in the UK to “ensure this does not happen again”.

A Heineken spokeswoman said: "We continue to work hard to resolve this issue as quickly as possible within our European supply base, and are working with customers to minimise disruption to their business."

A longer than usual break in production at plants across Europe has left the UK relying on one big plant producing CO2 - which is used to carbonate drinks and preserve some packed fresh foods.

Sixty per cent of chicken processing plants, many of which use CO2 in the slaughter process, could be out of operation within days, according to the Guardian.

The boss of the British Poultry Council, Richard Griffiths, told The Sun: “There are some slaughter houses that have only two days of supply left and others that have a few weeks. Production has slowed considerably.

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