In 2025, sales of container glass in Germany rose by 2.2 percent. Despite this recovery, the situation remains challenging for manufacturers.
The German container glass market showed signs of stabilisation in 2025 after a period of decline. With a 2.2 percent increase in sales compared to the previous year, the market reached a volume of around 3.87 million tonnes. This development is notable after significant declines in previous years, when sales fell by 15.5 percent in 2023 and 2.5 percent in 2024.
Different developments in the beverage bottle segment
In the beverage bottle segment, sales in 2025 increased by 1.4 percent, with sub-segments developing differently. While sales of beer and spirits bottles decreased by 1.6 percent, the wine and sparkling wine segments saw a rise of 3.6 percent. Growth was particularly strong in non-alcoholic beverages such as water, milk, and juice, which recorded an increase of 6.1 percent. These positive trends from the first half of 2025 continued, but the market remains below the levels of previous years.
Growth in the packaging glass segment
The packaging glass segment for food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics also recorded a sales increase of 3.6 per cent in 2025. Growth was particularly strong in packaging glass for food without fruit, vegetables, and pickled goods (OGS), which rose by 6.1 per cent. The sub-segment with OGS recorded slight growth of 0.8 per cent compared to the previous year.
Challenges remain
Despite these positive developments, Christiane Nelles, CEO of the German Glass Industry Association, warns that there can be no talk of a relaxation of pressures. The general conditions for container glass manufacturers remain challenging. It is crucial to secure the competitiveness of glass packaging manufacturing in Germany, as glass is valued by consumers as a high-quality packaging material.
Overall, the German container glass market in 2025 shows signs of stabilisation, but the industry continues to face challenges that need to be overcome. The focus is on maintaining competitiveness and meeting market demands.
Source: Federal Association of the Glass Industry.
