Summer drinks may lack fizz amid carbon dioxide shortage

LONDON (AP) — A British trade group says there’s a shortage of carbon dioxide in Northern Europe, sparking fears that drinks may lack fizz just as thirsty soccer fans fill pubs for the World Cup.

Gavin Partington, director-general of the British Soft Drinks Association, says the shortage is due to the closure of several production sites for various reasons, including seasonal maintenance. But industry publication Gasworld says the situation is worse this year because normal maintenance has coincided with technical issues at chemical plants that also produce carbon dioxide.

That shortage comes just as the World Cup is getting underway in Russia, driving up demand for beer and soft drinks.

Partingon says U.K. soft drink makers “are taking active steps” to supply customers, including looking for “alternative sources.”