Fears of popular fizzy drink shortage as unions threaten crippling strikes next week at major plant in Europe

BRITS could face Coca-Cola and other fizzy drink shortages as workers will walk out within days.

Crippling strikes are on the cards as Unite workers at Europe's biggest soft drinks plant in Wakefield are due to down tools.

The Wakefield plant can produce 360,000 cans and 132,000 bottles an hour - with hundreds of staff expected to join the walkout for 14 days.

Coca Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Dr Pepper, Fanta, Fanta Lemon, Fanta Fruit Twist, Sprite, are all at risk.

The plant also produces Monster, Schweppes: Tonic, Diet Tonic, Bitter Lemon, Ginger Ale and Lemonade.

Coke bosses made £15billion in terms of revenue last year, with an operating profit of £1.85billion.

Union chiefs are in talks with the fizzy drinks bosses today to try and thrash out a new pay deal - after they voted by 87 per cent to strike.

The wage deal on the table at the moment is six per cent - but workers are striking for more.

They also want a fairer share of the company's mammoth profits to help with the cost of living crisis.

Union insiders say they are confident their walkout will cause severe disruption, and could spark shortages of favourite cans of pop.

Unite regional officer, Chris Rawlinson: “Unite reps are meeting the company today to demand a fairer share of the soft drink maker’s profits.

"A refusal to use those mammoth profits to ease the cost of living pressure weighing down on workers will mean severe shortages of the UK’s favourite soft drinks.”

The 14 days of strike action will begin on 14 June - with more walkouts not ruled out.

Downing Street said this morning: "That would be a matter for the company and the unions involved."

A spokesperson for Coca Cola Europacific Partners said: "In the current economic climate, we believe the pay rises that we are offering are very competitive within the market place. 

“While Unite has chosen to proceed with industrial action, we remain fully committed to maintaining talks with our colleagues at our Wakefield site and their representatives to secure a constructive outcome.

"We have robust contingency measures in place and are confident that there will be no disruption to our trade customers.”