The British Soft Drinks Association warned that CO2 supplies were just days away from being used up.

Britain’s food and drink sector are suffering from a lack of carbon dioxide and are struggling to import supplies from the European Union due to Brexit.

This is affecting soft drink producers, who make both canned and bottled beverages, and the trade group said production may have to cease.

Their statement read: “Some soft drinks manufacturers have only a few days of CO2 supply left in reserve. As it stands, most CO2 suppliers are currently not scheduling beyond 24 hours in advance, meaning there is no visibility as to UK stocks and no certainty around deliveries. If soft drinks manufacturers cannot get hold of CO2 supplies after their reserves have run out, production of certain products will have to cease.

“The Government must add the wider food and drink sector to the priority CO2 supply list on the grounds of maintaining product supply to consumers and protecting British jobs. We urge the Government to support the operation of UK fertiliser plants through to the end of the year to stop this issue from rearing its head at Christmas.”

AG Barr, who produce brands such as Irn-Bru, Rubicon and Tizer, was one of the companies who warned that production was under threat due to the shortage.

The beverage industry has also been affected by a shortage of aluminium cans, that has impacted supplies of popular drinks like Diet Coke and Coke Zero.