Rate of soft drinks decline in pubs & clubs slows for Britvic

Britvic has stated that the Irish soft drinks market showed 'an element of relative improvement' in the first quarter of its financial year with Q1 revenue at €49.07 million (£42.1 million) showing a slower decline at just 8.4 per cent compared to the same period last year.

“In line with our expectations Britvic Ireland volumes declined by 9.9 per cent although ARP grew by 1.1 per cent as we lapped a period of intense Britivc promotional activity,” the company stated.

In its quarterly trading update to January 27th 2011, Britvic added that the rate of decline in the Irish pub sector also slowed in Q1 showing a seven per cent fall in both volume and value.

The company is to cut 100 jobs in Ireland to 630 in its Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Limerick and Thurles depots.

In the UK revenue grew by 0.8 per cent in Q1 with adverse weather affecting trade.