UK energy crisis: Government races to avert food shortages

By DANICA KIRKA
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — The British government is racing to avert shortages of meat, poultry and packaged foods amid a crisis in the food processing industry triggered by soaring energy costs. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said Tuesday that he hopes to reach a deal with the U.K.’s primary supplier of food-grade carbon dioxide to restore supplies of the gas that is used to stun animals before slaughter, preserve fruits and vegetables before packaging, and to put the fizz into carbonated beverages. The company that supplies CO2 halted work last week due to gas prices. The head of a trade association for food and beverage manufacturers says shoppers could begin to notice shortages “in about 10 days.”