Britvic maintains market share levels

BRITISH soft drinks group Britvic has said that it has maintained its market share levels in Ireland, but that the trading climate here remains “under pressure”.

In a trading update covering the first quarter of the company’s financial year, Britvic said that the soft drinks grocery market in the Republic fell, year-on-year, by 12.8% in the 12 weeks to January 27 and that its own volumes were down by 4% in the quarter.

The company does not disclose its market share figures. The fall in the overall soft drinks grocery market here was down to promotions and discounts by retailers, the company claimed.

“Shoppers in Ireland have, again, focused on value in the last quarter,” Britvic said in its update statement. The company significantly upped its presence in Ireland by acquiring the soft drinks division of C&C for €250m two years ago, a move which gave it ownership of such high profile brands as Club Orange, Cidona, Mi-Wadi and Ballygowan mineral water.

The company, which has now started making its iconic Robinson’s soft drink brand in Ireland for the Irish market, added yesterday that its business transformation programme remains on track.

This cost-cutting programme has seen the winding down of its regional distribution centres in the Republic — at Waterford, Cork and Ballyshannon in Co Donegal — and the loss of around 145 jobs, leaving it with 800 employees here.

Yesterday’s statement added that the quarter showed strong Irish-based sales growth for both Pepsi (up year-on-year by 14%) and 7-Up, for which Britvic holds the Irish distribution rights.

On an overall group basis, Britvic said that it generated total revenues of just under £243m (€280m) for the first quarter, up by 11% on the same period last year.

Revenues across its core British operation and its international operation grew by over 15%.