The UK could experience gaps on supermarket shelves this summer if the ongoing conflict in Iran continues to disrupt the supply of carbon dioxide (CO2), potentially affecting chicken, pork, and fizzy drinks. Government ministers are drawing up contingency plans for a 'reasonable worst-case scenario' if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, impacting CO2 supplies critical to the food industry.
Officials from Number 10, the Treasury, and the Ministry of Defence have conducted a planning operation named Exercise Turnstone to rehearse scenarios of prolonged Strait closure. The exercise, run by the Cobra emergency committee, considered multiple simultaneous disruptions, including the Strait still closed in June, no permanent US-Iran peace deal, and a mechanical failure at a key UK CO2 plant.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle sought to reassure the public, stating that contingency planning was underway and that CO2 supplies were 'not a concern' for the economy. He described the leak of the plans as 'unhelpful' but emphasised that action, such as investing £100 million to restart the Ensus bioethanol plant on Teesside, was being taken to maintain resilience.
CO2 is essential for humane slaughter of livestock, packaging fresh produce, fizzy drinks, beer, and cooling systems. Shortages could hit breweries ahead of the football World Cup starting June 11. The gas is also vital for surgical procedures, MRI scans, and cooling nuclear plants.
Tesco CEO Ken Murphy said the supermarket had seen no supply chain issues from CO2 availability and welcomed the Teesside plant reopening. He noted that Tesco was confident in managing potential disruptions, having navigated crises from Covid to Brexit, and that recent weather in Spain and North Africa had a greater impact, though shoppers noticed no gaps.
