Supermarkets are ALREADY selling festive products with shoppers urged to buy ...

Supermarkets are putting out their Christmas goods three months early amid fears that turkey dinners could be cancelled due to shortages.

In a literal twist on the phrase 'it's Christmas come early', shoppers have spotted a surprising number of shelves stocked with festive products.

Tesco, Sainsbury's, Marks and Spencer and Co-Op have already started putting out Christmas items in their stores.

Typically, Christmas items begin appearing after supermarkets have shifted their Halloween stock.

But with Halloween still more than a month away, shoppers have questioned why supermarkets are now selling Christmas items.

Some shoppers have even suggested it is being used as a creative way to cover-up empty shelves.

It comes as today the owner of the UK's biggest poultry supplier said Christmas dinners could be 'cancelled' this year due to a shortage of CO2 used in the supply chain.

However Alok Sharma this morning attempted to calm fears of food shortages caused by a fuel crisis, insisting there was no 'immediate concern' and that the public could be 'confident' there was no threat to Christmas dinners. 

Meanwhile, Sainsbury's and Coop stores have been pictured with shelves full to the brim with mince pies, advent calendars and festive chocolates.

Tesco's South Queensferry branch in Edinburgh was today pictured displaying a sign that read: 'Stock up early.'

Some shoppers have taken to social media highlighting the early arrival of Christmas puddings and mince pies.

Posting a picture of Christmas puddings, one said: 'Penzance Tesco last Sunday.

'I reckon they've put out the Christmas stock early to cover the gaps on the shelves from other short deliveries.'

A second said: 'Our local Tesco started selling Christmas stuff already. Stack up early, they say. Maybe a clever way of hiding the empty shelves?

'Can't remember seeing it before Halloween. Personally I'm not quite ready for this.'

A third said: 'Stock up early says Tesco.

'Has anyone got the willpower to buy lots of Christmas goodies and leave them untouched until late December?'

A Tesco spokesperson said: 'It's a few weeks until customers are able to choose from our full range of Christmas products.

'However, we know some of our customers like to start their shopping well in advance, so, as we do every year, we have started selling a small selection of festively-themed products in some of our stores.'

A Sainsbury's spokesperson said: 'Each year we stock some festive products in advance of the main Christmas period.

'This is because some customers like to buy gifts and longer life items in plenty of time, or treat themselves early.'

A spokesperson for the Co-op said: 'We know that many customers like to buy Christmas products early, so to satisfy demand and taste buds, we've started to stock our shelves now.'

It comes as Alok Sharma today attempted to calm fears of food shortages caused by a fuel crisis today, insisting there was no 'immediate concern' and that the public could be 'confident' there was no threat to Christmas dinners.

The Cop26 president said ministers 'don't see any risks going into the winter' from a spike in global gas prices that prompted the closure of two industrial sites vital to the food and drink industry.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng will tomorrow hold an emergency summit with energy bosses after the closure of fertiliser plants in Teesside and Cheshire.

A by-product of the fertiliser production process is the creation of carbon dioxide. 

It is used in fizzy soft drinks and beer, as well as by the meat industry to stun animals before slaughter, in food packaging to extend shelf life and to keep deliveries chilled. 

If supplies of CO2 run short, it raises the prospect of meat disappearing from supermarket shelves within weeks.

The British Meat Processors Association says it only has two weeks' capacity.

'The clear message that is coming out of this is that there is no immediate concern in terms of supply, we don't see any risks going into the winter,' Mr Sharma told Sky News's Trevor Phillips on Sunday programme.

'People should be confident that the supplies will be there and that we will be protecting them in terms of price rises. But of course we are not complacent about this.'