However, the company said in a statement ahead of its annual general meeting of shareholders that first-quarter trading had been in line with management expectations, with UK sales up by 3.4 percent, and it still expected full-year earnings "to be in line with market expectations."

The company sells drinks in the still and carbonated categories worth over 100 million pounds a year in over 85 countries.

(Reporting by Rahul B in Bengaluru; Editing by Greg Mahlich)