News of low meat supply threat in the UK

News of the imminent disappearance of meat products from food stores in Britain has spread concerns among Britons, who have realized that this current meat supply crisis may be a sign of a larger crisis.

Britain’s major food suppliers warned, on Saturday evening, that they would run out of meat within two weeks, in a letter addressed to the British Minister of Business Kwasi Kwarteng.

According to the suppliers, the rise in gas prices has adversely affected the production and supply of foodstuffs. It may even halt the supply of meat in the country completely.

Ocado, one of the country’s largest meat companies, that British Christmas dinner tables may be empty of meats, in reference to its struggle to provide meat in the country. That is according to Sky News.

Meat and CO2

The Mirror reported that Ocado said it was unable to deliver frozen meat due to the lack of dry ice that is made of carbon dioxide.

The closure of two fertilizer plants in northern England, which produce carbon dioxide, has caused major problems in the supply of meat and other foods.

Forced to close due to rising gas prices, the plants were responsible for providing 60 per cent of the UK’s domestic production of CO2.

The gas is used to stun animals before slaughter and in food packaging to increase shelf life.

Nick Allen, the CEO of the British Meat Processors Association, warned that businesses in the industry could operate for less than two weeks before they run out of carbon dioxide stocks and no meat will be available.

“Everyone is angry that these fertilizer plants can close without warning, ending an important component of the sensitive food supply chain,” he said.

There is no mention anywhere of the fate of halal meat, which is used mostly by most Arabs in the UK. Even though it does not require gas, halal meat prices may still rise due to decrease in the quantities of other meats.

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