Iran War Fuels Summer Misery Fears with Food and Flights in Peril
With no end in sight for the Middle East conflict, families risk summer food shortages as a top official said Europe has "maybe six weeks of jet fuel left". The energy shock unleashed by the Iran war continues to cause economic turmoil felt by ordinary households.
Government Prepares Emergency Plans
The threat of worse came as the government drew up emergency plans for a "reasonable worst-case scenario" where the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz leads to a shortage of carbon dioxide. Were stocks to run low, healthcare and civil nuclear energy would be prioritised given CO2 is needed to cool blood supplies, organs and vaccines, as well as for electricity supply.
This raises the prospect of other sectors being left without, with farming, food and drink manufacturers and hospitality among those potentially at risk. CO2 is used to:
- Increase the shelf life of food such as salad, packaged meats and baked goods
- Slaughter nearly all pigs and more than two thirds of chickens
- Make drinks fizzy and dispense drinks in pubs
- Promote the growth of plants such as cucumbers in greenhouses
Supermarkets and Officials Respond
The boss of Tesco confirmed the supermarket giant was in contact with the government. Ken Murphy said: "We are in constant contact with the government at various levels to assist in any scenario planning that might be required." However, in a bid to reassure shoppers, he added: "We have no issues in our supply chain at this point and so far no flagged concerns from any of our suppliers."
Business Secretary Peter Kyle insisted the public should be "reassured" the government was making contingency plans. He pointed to his own decision near the start of the conflict to reverse the mothballing of the Ensus bio-ethanol plant in Teesside to secure supplies of carbon dioxide.
Household Preparedness Urged
Labour peer Lord Toby Harris, Chair at National Preparedness Commission, said households should be better prepared for a crisis. He advised: "Think about what you would need to sustain your household for two days, three days, maybe even a week." He suggested households consider having:
- A working torch
- A fully stocked first aid box
- A wind-up radio
- Tinned food and staples
Jet Fuel Crisis Looms
The head of the International Energy Agency said Europe has "maybe six weeks or so of jet fuel left", warning of possible flight cancellations "soon" if oil supplies remain blocked by the Iran war. IEA executive director Fatih Birol called it "the largest energy crisis we have ever faced."
Kenton Jarvis, boss of budget airline easyJet, insisted it was not expecting jet fuel shortages. However, he did warn a surge in fuel prices risked possible summer fare increases. EasyJet was left nursing an additional £25million bill for fuel in March, despite having guaranteed the price of nearly 80% of its needs in advance.
The Luton-based carrier warned its half-year loss was likely to balloon to between £540 million and £560 million, up sharply from a £394million loss a year ago. The increase was further worsened by a £30 million provision for legal costs.
