The container glass market in Germany is facing a decline in sales in the first quarter of 2026. A total of approximately 929,000 tonnes of container glass were sold, representing a decrease of 3.4 percent compared to the same period last year. Both domestic and foreign sales are affected by this trend.
The decline is particularly evident in the beverage bottle segment, where sales have fallen by 5.0 percent. All sub-segments recorded a decline, with the beer and spirits segment falling by 1.1 percent and the wine and sparkling wine segment by 8.6 percent. The non-alcoholic segment, which includes water, milk and juice, also experienced a 5.4 percent drop in sales. These figures show that the positive developments from the 2025 annual report could not be continued.
Different developments in packaging glass
In the area of packaging glass for food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, sales remained stable. However, within the sub-segments, a differentiated picture emerged. While sales of packaging glass for food excluding fruit, vegetables, and preserved goods declined by 1.7 percent, the sub-segment with these products saw an increase of 2.6 percent.
„Sales performance in the beverage bottle segment indicates that the container glass market has not yet recovered. Additional regulatory burdens in key consumer industries could further exacerbate the tense situation. This includes the planned increase in excise duty on sparkling wine and spirits.“
Dorothée Richardt, spokeswoman for the Glass Packaging Action Forum
Falling sales would not only affect manufacturers, but the entire value chain – from producers to suppliers such as the glass industry, according to Richardt. „Further fiscal burdens could intensify declines in demand. Therefore, it is important to carefully consider the effects on the entire supply chain and to examine whether the expected benefit of the measure is proportionate to the economic burdens.“
Source: Glass packaging action forum
