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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-01-16</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001189768</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SILCOCK RAYMOND</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>412 TIDAL DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOVELADIES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>08008</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP and CFO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-01-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1160.051</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>24.18</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>13194.914</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Canada 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 Incentive Share Compensation Plan (the &quot;Plan&quot;).  The U.S. dollar price represents the conversion of (Cdn)$29.68 to U.S. dollars on December 31, 2004, 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 and the Executive Investment Share Purchase Plan (which replaced the Plan) in 2003, 2004 and 2005.  The reporting individual also holds 59,320 Shares held directly; 1,644.24 vested Shares held pursuant to the Restated Cott USA 401(k) Savings and Retirement Plan (as at 12/31/04); and 14,055.289 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>2005-01-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

