<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-12-30</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000884713</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>COTT CORP /CN/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>COT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001136832</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BENADIBA MARK</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>25 PARKWOOD AVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>TORONTO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>A6</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>M4V 2W9</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>ONTARIO, CANADA</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP, Operations North America</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-12-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>194.335</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>14.7</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9865.809</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>London Life</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The common shares were acquired pursuant to an allocation under the Corporation's Executive Investment Share Purchase Plan (which replaced the Executive Incentive Share Compensation Plan) in 2004 and 2005 (the &quot;Plan&quot;).  The U.S. dollar price represents the conversion of (Cdn)$17.23 to U.S. dollars on December 30, 2005, which reflects the date used for purposes of the trustee's allocation.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents unvested Shares held in trust that were acquired pursuant to the Plan in 2003, 2004 and 2005. The reporting individual also holds 14,524.98 Shares held directly; and 179.622 vested Shares held in trust pursuant to the Plan that vested on or before 01/02/05.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Andrea Szanto, by power of attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-01-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
