Just when you thought life was getting back to normal, there’s worrying news that food supply shortages could happen in the next few days and weeks.

The potential shortages are linked to a reduced supply of carbon dioxide (CO2), which is a vital part of the food supply chain, as it’s used to stun animals humanely before slaughter, extend the shelf life of chilled foods through vacuum packing, and put the bubbles into fizzy drinks  – both of the alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties. And, to add to that problem, there’s also a shortage of HGV drivers needed to transport food.

So, rather than the panic buying of the early lockdowns, are we now facing empty supermarket shelves and a scenario that’s far more concerning than a lack of loo roll?

The managing director of Iceland supermarkets has said food supply shortages could happen in the “coming days and weeks”, and Christmas food supplies could be impacted if the reduced supply of CO2 continues. The owner of Bernard Matthews has warned a shortage of both carbon dioxide and workers could mean Christmas dinners will be “cancelled”.

A spokesperson for the British Retail Consortium (BRC) says: “There will not be food shortages as such, but rather we’ll start seeing an impact on shelves and potential availability issues.”

So, what should we do? Is panic buying a sensible option, or simply selfish? Here’s what the BRC says…

1.  Don’t panic buy

“We are very cautious that we don’t want to encourage panic buying because, as we saw in the pandemic, it’s not sustainable and it’s not good for anyone to ignite hysteria,” says a BRC spokesperson. “It’s about the Government taking action, and we need a solution as soon as possible.”

2.  Don’t stockpile

“There’s no point in stockpiling,” says the BRC spokeswoman. “At the end of the day, there may be shortages, but it’s about shopping considerately and buying just what you need.” And she points out that as the potential shortages will affect fresh produce, that’s much more difficult to stockpile than things like toilet roll anyway.

3. Stay calm

“Stay calm and know that it’s in hand,” she says. “Put faith in the retailers and know we’re doing our best. The reason we’re alerting the public to these problems is because we want Government action. People need to remain calm, but just be aware there’ll be availability problems and a limited choice.”

4. Shop around

The BRC advises consumers to shop around to try to find the products they need, as while one shop may be out of a particular product, it could still be available elsewhere.

5.  Remember, it’s not all food and drink that could be affected

If there are availability problems, they ‘re likely to affect meat, and particularly poultry, carbonated drinks like beer and fizzy soft drinks, and bags of food like salad, which are vacuum packed. “I’m not aware of any problems with tinned foods,” says the BRC spokesperson. “I think the main focus is meat and fizzy drinks.”

6. Think about buying different foods

If there are availability problems with food like meat, why not think about changing your diet, potentially to a healthier one? “If you can’t find chicken, maybe you could buy lamb, or choose more vegetarian options,” suggests the BRC spokesperson. “It might be good to encourage less meat-heavy diets and less beer – there might be an opportunity for healthier lifestyles.”

7.  Don’t worry about Christmas (yet!)

“The general feeling is that Christmas is going to be incredibly challenging in some areas, but it’s too early to predict that we’re going to have problems,” says the BRC spokesperson. “Our members aren’t anticipating major problems for Christmas at the moment, but also are facing more and more challenges for what should be retail’s ‘Golden Quarter’.”

She stresses retailers are already taking all necessary measures to avoid any possible Christmas disruption, and insists: “If problems do arise, we’ll start seeing an impact on shelves and potential availability issues, but not food shortages.”