The decline in industrial production in the EU and especially in Germany led to falling demand for plastics from customer industries in the third quarter of 2024.
Accordingly, the German plastics industry recorded a decline in economic indicators. According to the Federal Statistical Office, the production of plastics in primary moulds fell by 2.4 per cent compared to the previous quarter.
Producer prices fell by 0.7 per cent, partly due to falling raw material costs. Turnover in the sector fell by 1.3 per cent to 6.7 billion euros. Foreign trade also declined. According to the industry association Plastics Europe Deutschland, there are currently no signs of a rapid recovery in demand.
„In my view, the decline in exports and investments, two pillars of German competitiveness, is particularly worrying. The necessary transformation to a climate-neutral circular economy is made even more difficult under these conditions. In addition to competitive energy prices and the reduction of bureaucratic burdens, a new German government therefore needs targeted investment incentives in circular economy technologies such as the collection, sorting and recycling of plastic waste.„
Dr Christine Bunte, Managing Director of Plastics Europe Germany
Source: Plastics Europe
