Raise a Toast? Maybe Not

Have You Heard

Beer is being rationed in the U.K. amid a CO2 shortage.

Are you hosting an event in the U.K. this summer? If so, be sure to warn your delegates that a traditional pint at the pub may be off the menu. And don’t blame Brexit or massive World Cup-related partying.

A shortage of food-grade carbon dioxide, which is used to make drinks fizzy, is what’s forcing wholesalers to ration beer supplies. Various news outlets report that the CO2 shortages are caused by high summer demand for beer and other fizzy drinks, along with lags in European production of ammonia, a key source of the food-grade CO2. At the same time, several bio-ethanol plants — which provide an alternative source of CO2 — are offline for summer repair work, CNBC reports.

The pinch is being felt across Europe, but Britain is reportedly hardest hit. Even Coca-Cola is said to be stung by the shortage. And it’s not just drinks. CO2 is also used in the production of packaged meat and some companies use it to give products, like crumpets, a longer shelf life.

It’s currently unclear when the shortage will lift. So, tea anyone?