NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's CreditWire) April 16, 1999--Standard&Poor's today affirmed its double-'B'-minus corporate credit and single-'B'-plus senior unsecured debt ratings on Cott Corp. and removed the ratings from CreditWatch, where they were placed Dec. 4, 1998. The outlook is negative. The outlook reflects a weaker financial profile than previously expected by Standard&Poor's, which if sustained will pressure credit measures beyond the current rating level. New management needs to successfully implement its planned operational restructuring if credit measures are to be restored to appropriate levels. The original CreditWatch placement followed weaker-than-expected second quarter 1998 earnings and the announcement that the company planned to take an approximate US$80 million charge in the third quarter ended Oct. 31,
