SOARING demand for Robinsons squash from UK households has helped to buoy soft drinks giant Britvic after it was hit by pub closures in the face of coronavirus.
The company, which also makes J2O and Tango, said Government restrictions which have caused pubs to shut their doors have had a "significant impact" on its out-of-home sales.
But it said shoppers have bought more packs of soft drinks to consume at home in recent months, with Robinsons' sales jumping by almost a quarter - 24.9 per cent - in April compared with the same month last year.
Meanwhile, sales of child-friendly Fruit Shoot were hit by the lockdown, the company said, as people stayed at home.
It said the brand had seen sales improve prior to the virus, while sales of Pepsi and 7Up were also strong in the UK.
The outbreak also hit sales of J2O and premium brands London Essence Company and Mathieu Teisseire, which typically see a significant proportion of their sales in hotels, bars and restaurants.
Britvic chief executive Simon Litherland said the drinks firm is confident in its long-term strategy "as consumers increasingly turn to trusted brands".
The company hailed its strong first six months but said it now expects earnings to take a hit of between £12 million and £18 million each month because of the pandemic.
Britvic reported a 1.4 per cent increase in revenue to £698.8 million for the six months to March 31 as profit margins also improved.
