Food-grade carbon dioxide is much sought-after by food and drink manufacturers. Currently, there is a shortfall in food-grade CO2 in Europe, and the situation could deteriorate in future.

Food-grade CO2 has many uses in the food industry. It gives the all-important "fizz" to soft drinks and beer, enables slaughterhouses to put animals to sleep before they are killed, and acts as a preservative for packaged meat and salads. Naturally, a shortage of "good CO2" is having a major impact on the food supply chain in Europe.

The impact is being felt by a range of businesses, from soft-drink manufacturers to pub chains, from slaughterhouses to bakeries. Coca-Cola and Heineken have already closed some of their European units. Pub chain JD Wetherspoon is unable to stock enough beer for customers in the UK, while British baker Warburtons has reduced production by half. In Scotland, the country’s biggest slaughterhouse Quality Pork has had to close down.

Food-grade CO2 is supplied by companies like Praxair, Linde, and Messer. They are hoping that the crisis will end when ammonia plants restart and supplies arrive from other parts of Europe.