Marmite can only produce small jars due to the coronavirus pandemic, a tweet has suggested.

The spread, made with yeast extract, is now only being produced in a 250g size jar as a result of brewers’ yeast being more difficult to get hold of, according to a message sent on the company’s official account on Wednesday.

When asked by a customer why larger 400g squeezy jars were tough to get hold of at the moment, the firm replied: “Due to brewers yeast being in short supply (one of the main ingredients in Marmite) Supplies of Marmite have been affected.

“As a temporary measure we have stopped production of all sizes apart from our 250g size jar which is available in most major retailers.”

Brewers slowed and stalled production when pubs were forced to shut in an attempt to slow the Covid-19 pandemic.

Beer is not the only thing that has been in short supply.

Supermarket shoppers left shelves of flour, pasta and other household staples such as toilet roll bare in the spring as families stocked up at the start of lockdown.