The Mexican soft drinks bottler, Embotelladoras Arca SA, has reported a net profit for the six months to the end of June 2003 of MXN529.2m, down 9.2% from MXN582.8m in the first half of 2002.

Operating profit at the Monterrey-based company, which bottles Coca-Cola brands and other products, fell by 12% from MXN1.24 billion to MXN1.09 billion on sales up 0.9% at MXN6.63 billion, from MXN6.57 billion in the corresponding period last year.