Irn-Bru maker's sales fizz despite Brexit and weather woes

AG Barr chief executive Roger White. Picture: Stewart Attwood

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Irn-Bru maker AG Barr has more than doubled the pace of the soft drinks market's growth in its first trading half, but admitted the post-Brexit vote weakness of sterling has hit input costs.

Roger White, chief executive of Cumbernauld-based AG Barr, said the pound’s weakness had wiped “about £5 million” off its profits in the six months to 29 July.

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He also said the lacklustre weather in August and September had seen sales in the second half fall 6 per cent in value and 8 per cent in volume.

White told The Scotsman: “September was a lovely month last year, but it’s been rotten this year.”

On the fall in sterling’s value hitting the cost of AG Barr’s raw materials, he said: “This would seem to be the new normal. We are not anticipating any material strengthening of sterling.”

The group, whose products also include Rubicon, Tizer and Strathmore water, saw its headline pre-tax profits fall to £19.4m at the halfway stage from £21.1m a year earlier.