Sales of container glass fell by one per cent in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period of the previous year. While there was a slight decline in Germany, sales abroad were slightly positive.
In the first half of 2025, sales of container glass amounted to around 1.92 million tonnes. In the beverage bottle segment Slight decline in sales compared to the previous year. Specifically, the decline was 0.8 per cent, meaning that the previous year's downward trend continued, albeit in a weaker form.
A differentiated analysis of the sub-segments shows a mixed picture: While the Sales in the beer and spirits segment down 6.3 per cent has fallen significantly, the Wine and sparkling wine segment positive and recorded growth of 5.0 per cent. The Sales of non-alcoholic beverages such as water, milk and juice increased, by 2.4 per cent.
Overall, the negative trend of the previous year in the beverage bottle segment is therefore continuing to a lesser extent. At the same time, in some areas signs of recovery for the first time and positive developments are recognisable.
Sales of packaging glass for food continue to decline
The packaging glass for food and packaging glass for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics segment closed the first half of 2025 with a negative sales trend of minus 1.2 per cent. The sub-segments developed unevenlySales of packaging glass for food without OGS (fruit, vegetables and preserves) rose by 6.7 per cent in the first half of 2025. In contrast, the packaging glass with OGS sub-segment recorded a significant decline of 10.9 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year.
„The results for the first half of 2025 do not yet show the noticeable recovery in the container glass market that we would have wished for. Nevertheless, there are positive signs of sales growth in some segments. We hope that these trends will also be reflected in the market as a whole in the near future.“
Christiane Nelles, Managing Director of the Bundesverband Glasindustrie e. V.
Source: Glass packaging action forum
