British pubs are facing a beer shortage due to a CO2 shortage and large crowds watching WC games.GETTY IMAGES
Britain's pubs ran the risk of "running short of beer" as England took on Belgium in "one of the biggest nights out of the year," according to Boland & Mendick of the London TELEGRAPH. Millions of fans were expected to watch the World Cup group decider in a pub. The "beer crisis" has been caused by a shortage of carbon dioxide and fueled "by a heatwave and huge crowds watching England's unexpected good form in the World Cup." Britain's biggest pub chain, the Ei Group, which owns 4,500 pubs, admitted on Wednesday that it had been hit by the beer shortage. The company, previously called Enterprise Inns, said in a statement that it was trying to "minimise" the problem with availability of certain brands. The admission by Ei, which follows problems suffered by other pub chains including Wetherspoons, came ahead of England's final group game. Reports suggested as many as 16 million pints of beer would be sold in pubs "to coincide with the match" -- 6 million "more than normal" (TELEGRAPH, 6/27). REUTERS' Geller & Shukla reported the CO2 shortage is also "affecting producers of meat and frozen foods, which could put a chill on summer barbecues." Heineken last week warned pubs about "potential supply problems." It said on Wednesday that it "was working around the clock to get beers to customers as quickly as possible." Coca-Cola European Partners has "slowed some production of soft drinks." Both companies said that they are "still able to meet demand from customers," though Tesco's retail distribution business, Booker, said that it was experiencing "supply issues" on soft drinks and beer. It did not specify which brands (REUTERS, 6/27).
