British online supermarket has to stop supplying frozen products | Financial

It has a shortage of CO2, which is used to stun animals in the slaughterhouse, but also in the vacuum packaging of products and for making dry ice. The carbon dioxide is a by-product of making fertilizer.

The UK food industry has been struggling lately to fill supermarket shelves and supply enough to other customers, such as fast food restaurants. This was due to staff shortages, which were partly caused by Brexit, after which many European workers left the United Kingdom.

Coronavirus

The corona pandemic also played a part. Since last summer there has been talk of a so-called ‘pingdemic’. This concerns employees who have been in contact with people infected with the corona virus. They receive a signal from the British corona app, or ping, that they must be quarantined.

The CO2 shortage now directly affects frozen products. Online supermarket Ocado stops the delivery because there was no more dry ice. The meat processing industry is already warning. CO2 is mainly used for stunning pigs and chickens. The delivery of beef and lamb will be less affected as a result, but because the gas is also used in packaging, those types of meat can be kept for up to a week less.

Furthermore, the soft drink industry also needs CO2 for making carbonated drinks. According to the industry association of soft drink companies, that sector is looking at alternative sources of CO2

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