The CO2 shortage will devastate supermarkets within days, with fizzy drinks, cheese, meat, fruit and veg all at risk of running out, the boss of Iceland has warned.
Britain is in the grip of an energy crisis with soaring wholesale gas prices - up 70 per cent since last month - leading to CF Fertilisers stopping production at two fertiliser plants.
These two foreign-owned plants produce 60 per cent of the UK's CO2 with the decision to stop production plunging the food industry into chaos.
CO2 is used to stun animals for slaughter, package meat and also in refrigeration systems. It is also used in fizzy drinks, beer, cheese, fruit and vegetables and crumpets, among other items.
Now, Iceland boss Richard Walker has warned: 'This is no longer about whether Christmas will be OK. This is more about keeping the wheels turning and the lights on so we can actually get to Christmas.'
Discussing the available CO2 supply, Nick Allen of the British Meat Processors Association told Sky News: 'My members are saying anything between five, 10 and 15 days supply.
'The animals have to stay on farm, they'll cause farmers on the farm huge animal welfare problems and British pork and British poultry will disappear off the shelves.
'We're two weeks away from seeing some real impacts on the shelves. On the poultry side we're hearing they're even tighter supplies so we might see poultry disappearing even sooner.'
A view of empty shelves at a supermarket in London. The CO2 shortage is set to devastate supermarkets, industry bosses have warned
Experts say that the crisis would start to bite this week if the gas shortages weren't addressed
CO2 is used to stun animals for slaughter, package meat and also in refrigeration systems. It is also used in fizzy drinks, beer, cheese, fruit and vegetables and crumpets, among other items
The body added: 'We already have this situation in the pig industry which is now facing the imminent prospect of a humane cull on farms.'
The British Poultry Council also warned that the crisis would start to bite this week if the gas shortages weren't addressed. The body said that millions of poultry would have to be culled if the situation didn't improve.
Speaking to the BBC, Iceland boss Walker added: 'What shocked me is that 60% of CO2 production is in two factories that are actually owned by a foreign business who have shut down because of gas prices.
'This is critical to national security, not just food but also healthcare, and it's quite perplexing that it's at the whim of an private enterprise as to whether it's profitable or not.
'The government needs to prioritise CO2 to get these factories up and running to limit disruption to food supplies.'
Warning that a crisis is looming, he said: 'In isolation this is a serious issue but it is compounded by the HGV driver shortage as well. All of this comes as we are working towards Christmas. This is no longer about whether Christmas will be ok. This is more about keeping the wheels turning and the lights on so we can actually get to Christmas.
'Speaking to suppliers this could become a problem over the coming days and weeks - this is not an issue that is months away. We're building up stocks of frozen meats and we are currently fully stocked.
Iceland boss Richard Walker has warned: 'This is no longer about whether Christmas will be OK. This is more about keeping the wheels turning and the lights on so we can actually get to Christmas'
'The problem is that as a supermarket industry we can't just pile up stock - there is only so much we can do.'
Mr Allen, CEO of the British Meat Processors Association also highlighted the gas supply problem.
He said: 'This crisis highlights the fact that the British food supply chain is at the mercy of a small number of major fertiliser producers (four or five companies) spread across northern Europe. We rely on a by-product from their production process to keep Britain's food chain moving.'
Ranjit Singh Boparan, the owner of Great Witchingham-based Bernard Matthews and 2 Sisters Food Group, warned the gas shortage will affect the supply of turkeys for Christmas.
Mr Boparan said: 'There are less than 100 days left until Christmas and Bernard Matthews and my other poultry businesses are working harder than ever before to try and recruit people to maintain food supplies.
'Nothing has fundamentally changed since I spoke about this issue in July. In fact, I take no pleasure in pointing out that the gaps on the shelves I warned about then are getting
