Cadbury Schweppes said today its full-year trading performance would be similar to the first half but that recent hot weather had dented confectionery sales in Europe.
The world's biggest confectionery maker, with brands such as Dairy Milk chocolate, Trident gum and Dr Pepper drinks, also said the US soft drinks market remained weak.
Cadbury, formed from the merger of an 18th-century soft drinks firm and a 19th-century chocolate maker, posted a 4 per cent drop in underlying earnings in its first half.
The firm normally aims for double-digit earnings growth, but put its targets on hold in March when it bought US gum maker Adams for $4.2 billion.
Cadbury said in a trading update that it remained on track with plans to refinance a big part of its $6.1 billion bank facilities, with at least $1.6 billion to be refinanced in 2003.