The production of the drink could stop before the Christmas season.

UK brewers face the risk of having to stop brewing in the coming months due 

to the price increase of one of its components.

This is carbon dioxide, used to carbonate and package beers.

Its cost

 became more expensive 10 times

 and for this reason the American group of fertilizers CF Industries, which produces the component, stopped the production after considering that it is economically unfeasible.

For this reason, the sector warns that the problem 

could worsen before the Christmas season

, when demand increases.

"Brewers have been contacted with little or no notice by their suppliers to accept huge surcharges for continued supply of carbon dioxide, or have been issued 'force majeure' letters to say 'we cannot guarantee that your supply will continue'" explained Andy Tighe, policy director of the British Association of Beer and Pubs, who warned that "there is a risk that a large amount of production stops at just the wrong time".

Regarding carbon dioxide prices, William Lees-Jones, general director of the JW Lees brewery, located in Greater Manchester, explained that the cost of a ton of the component last June was 250 pounds sterling (about 285 dollars). , while days ago it reached 

2,800 pounds

 sterling (almost 3,200 dollars).

Against this background, he warned that merchants were already losing bar and retail customers by not being able to supply the amount of beer requested.

"Tempers are getting really low because because [brewers] can't supply their beers, [customers] say, 'I'm never dealing with you again,'" she said.

In addition, it is also difficult for gas suppliers to obtain it on international markets, due to the closure of ammonia plants in Europe, which reduced 70% of production capacity.

(With information from RT in Spanish)