Irn Bru is as synonymous with Scotland as Nessie, whisky and shortbread. It has been around since 1901 and is known for its funny and sometimes controversial adverts. Here we take a look at Irn Bru through the years, from its original name to becoming Irn Bru on 18 July 1946 and gearing Scotland up for the 2024 Euros.
1. Irn Bru introduced
The now famous soft drink was introduced in April 1901 by Barr’s. Photo: Irn Bru
2. What’s in a name
The name Irn Bru was originally supposed to be Iron Brew, but was changed in 1946 due to proposed branding laws, These forced Barr's to alter the name with the stipulation that brand names should be ‘literally true’, as the soft drink is not actually brewed. The new 'Irn-Bru' trademark was first registered on Thursday 18 July 1946. Photo: TSPL
3. Secret recipe
Irn Bru is a carbonated soft drink made with an original secret recipe, which contains 32 flavours. Apparently only three people in the whole world know the recipe for making the drink. Photo: TSPL
4. Glass bottle returns
The glass bottle return scheme, often called a glass cheque, was introduced in 1905. It saw customers being able to claim money back for returning their empty bottles. The scheme was scrapped in 2015. Photo: Irn Bru