Pork and poultry could be among the food products made harder to come by because of a spike in gas prices, an industry boss has warned.
Nick Allen, chief executive of the British Meat Processors Association, told Sky News that Britons could see both “disappear off the shelves in the next couple of weeks”.
It’s down to an increase in the cost of fuel, which is threatening food production and other industries – prompting the business secretary to hold talks with Britain’s energy firms.
Sky News understands Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng is on Saturday talking to senior executives from Ofgem, Centrica, National Grid, Energy UK, Octopus, Ovo, SSE, EDF, Scottish Power, Shell Energy, E.ON, Bulb and SGN.
Mr Kwarteng tweeted that the UK government does “not expect supply emergencies this winter”.
It follows reports that some companies that use gas in the production of products have shut down due to the high price of the fuel.
A resulting shortage of carbon dioxide is said to be stoking worries there could be gaps in the supply of meat, as the industry uses CO2 in the slaughter of animals.
But there are also concerns some people will be unable to afford the high cost of heating their homes over winter.
A spokesperson for the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy department told Sky News: “The UK benefits from having access to highly diverse sources of gas supply to ensure households, businesses and heavy industry get the energy they need at a fair price.
“We are monitoring this situation closely and are in regular contact with the food and farming organisations and industry, to help them manage the current situation.”
In an unusual move and in a reference to consumers, government officials have written an “explainer” to set out why “the Great Britain (GB) gas system has… sufficient delivery capacity to more than meet demand”.
The rise in gas prices has been blamed on high global demand, maintenance issues, and lower solar and wind energy output.
A former Ofgem chief told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme that Britain is likely to face high energy prices for the rest of the year.
Dermot Nolan said the increases were the result of depleted stocks following a cold winter last winter, reduced supply from Russia, and increased demand for liquefied natural gas from the Far East.
The government has been urged by meat producers to…
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