March 27 (Reuters) - Fizzy drinks maker A.G. Barr Plcposted an 8 percent rise in full-year revenue onTuesday, "well ahead" of the market performance, but pointed toeconomic volatility and uncertainty from Britain's vote to leavethe European Union.
The maker of popular Scottish soft drink Irn-Bru saidrevenue rose to 277.7 million pounds ($395.19 million) in 2017,from 257.1 million pounds a year earlier. Pretax profit climbed4.2 percent to 44.9 million pounds.
The company said it grew its market share within the UK softdrinks sector.
"The UK economic landscape is expected to remain uncertainfor business as a whole, with regulation, changing customerdynamics and consumer preferences adding further volatility forthe soft drinks industry," CEO Roger White said.
A.G. Barr, based just outside Glasgow, said margins had beenhurt by the continued weakness in sterling, hitting its inputcosts, particularly sugar and packaging which are priced ineuros.
The company, which has been selling soft drinks in Britainsince 1875, said it now expects up to 99 percent of itsportfolio to contain less than 5 grams of sugar per 100ml beforethe implementation of the soft drinks industry levy next month.
This follows the British government's decision to impose alevy on makers of sugary drinks following an advocation fromhealth campaigners.
A change in the secret recipe for A.G Barr's Irn Bru, asticky-sweet fizzy beverage prized as a hangover cure and knownas Scotland's second national drink, prompted outrage among itsmany devotees in January.($1 = 0.7027 pounds)(Reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain and Rahul B in Bengaluru;Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)