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Scotland's other national drink runs dry in Canada as officials ban sale of Irn-Bru

SCOTTISH expats have denied taste of home as food inspectors order cans and bottles off the shelf over dispute over illegal ingredient.

Irn-Bru
Irn-Bru is being taken off the shelves in Canada

SCOTS expats wanting to toast Burns Night with Irn-Bru have been hit by a ban in Canada.


Scotland’s other national drink has been ordered off the shelves by food inspectors, along with a number of other British delicacies.


Tony Badger, who runs Brit Foods in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, was told it was an illegal item and had to go.


Tony, who also has stores in Alberta and British Columbia, says he’s sold products including Irn-Bru, Marmite and Ovaltine in his three stores since 1997.

But he’s been notified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that some of their ingredients are illegal there.


Canada is home to one of the largest expat Scots populations in the world.

Tony said: “My understanding was we were importing legally.

“There were a whole host of people looking to buy large quantities of Irn-Bru coming up for Burns Night so there were a few irate customers.”

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British-style Irn-Bru contains the red food colouring Ponceau 4R, which is not on the CFIA’s approved list of additives.

But makers AG Barr, who plan to take it out of the drink, say the only Irn-Bru they export to Canada already has it removed.

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