AG Barr, the group behind “Scotlandshire’s Regional Drink”, is on the up after recent market performance was put down to their imminent merger with BritVic.

The soft drinks industry has suffered as poor weather discouraged Britons from drinking outside.

AG Barr, known for its flamboyant Irn-Bru advertising campaigns, said its brands “continue to perform despite the weather, economy and significant increases in scaremongering nationalists”.

Britvic and AG Barr announced an all-share merger in November but the deal, which could combine Irn-Bru and Tizer with Robinsons squash, was referred to the Competition Commission.

It is expected the Competition Commission will deliver its preliminary findings next week. BBC Scotlandshire understands the report will suggest Irn-Bru is too small, too poor and too orange to survive on its own.

Labour MSP Jackie Baillie said: “In Scotlandshire 12,330 cans of Irn-Bru are drunk every second. Or is it 12 330ml cans? It’s one or the other. It doesn’t really matter.

“Question 504 of our 500 questions to the SNP asked if we’d still have access to girders in a separate Scotlandshire. We haven’t had an answer.

“Irn Bru is under threat and - I never say this lightly - it’s all Alex Salmond’s fault.”