Britvic wary despite market-beating performance

Tango-to-Robinsons soft drinks group Britvic today said it had outperformed its rivals in both the fizzy and still drinks markets.

The group said the strong performance seen in the 12 weeks to Christmas Eve had continued into the new year, but it added that healthy living trends meant it remained cautious about prospects in the carbonated sector.

Britvic said it was still well placed in the still drinks market because of the strength of brands such as J2O and Robinsons squash.

It is planning a number of new product launches for the next few months, including Robinsons Smooth Juice and Fruit Shoot 100% Juice.

As well as its own brands, Britvic has a long-term bottling and marketing agreement that allows it to distribute Pepsi and 7Up.

The drinks firm produced two profits warnings last year as it faced up to the changing drinking habits of health conscious consumers.

However, the Chelmsford-based group fought back with new products, including in the faster-growing water market.