Ryan’s Bru fight goes global in save fizz bid Ayr joiner has 40,000 signatures for his ‘ Hands Off’ campaign
The joiner who launched a campaign to save the original Irn- Bru has fizzed all over the world.
Dad- of- two Ryan Allen, 29, is stockpiling the full- sugar drink as it ends production.
And the Ayr tradesman had amassed nearly 40,000 signatures on the change. org petition site with his “Hands off our Irn Bru” campaign.
He has been on national telly and radio as well as national newspapers.
And his story has been shared over the globe in his one- fight rescue bid.
Ryan told the Post: “If you type my name and Irn- Bru into google you get dozens of stories from as far away at New Zealand.
“It has even been translated into Romanian, which is amazing.”
Ryan, who lives near Prestwick Road, has stored dozens of bottles of Irn- Bru in his loft and will use “in emergencies.”
Makers AG Barr is reducing the sugar content from eight to four- and- a- half teaspons to avoid a government sugar tax which would have added eight pence a can. Calories will fall from about 138.6 to just 65.
Ryan said: “It is a national treasure in Scotland and really is part of our culture with its unique taste, branding and marketing. It’s also well known to alleviate the effects of a hangover and is many a persons’ craving, saviour or go- to drink after a night on the tiles. Don’t do it Barr – please have a rethink on this.”
His anger was mostly at what will be replacing the sugar: “I know i its not going to be the same product and I don’t want to get used to it.
“I know sugar has its concerns but so do sweeteners and people are not as aware of that as they should be. I believe that a responsible adult should have the choice as to what they want to put in their body.”
The petition started by Ryan, addressed to AG Barr, states: “I understand that soft drink manufacturers are coming under mounting pressure from government to lower the sugar content of their drinks and that they intend on introducing a “sugar tax” that would apply to the sales of sugary drinks similar to the way cigarettes and alcohol are taxed.
“I would far rather pay more for a bottle than have an altered recipe version.
“Irn Bru is such a distinct flavour no other brand who try imitate it get it right, and if Barrs follow suit of the likes of Lucozade, Dr Pepper, Sprite etc I think its iconic flavour will be affected.