In 2023, the German container glass market did not see any increase in sales. On the contrary, sales fell by more than 15 per cent. This affected the beer and spirits sub-segments, for example, as well as packaging glass for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
Sales in the beverage bottle segment will decline in 2023 compared to the previous year, falling by 16.9 per cent. A look at the sub-segments shows a Decline in sales in the beer and spirits segments (down 20.2 per cent) and wine and sparkling wine (down 12.7 per cent). Non-alcoholic beverages (water, milk and juice) also recorded a significant decline in sales of 15.8 per cent. The downward trend that was already evident in the first half of 2023 thus continued.
The packaging glass segment for Food and packaging glass for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics saw negative sales growth in 2023. of minus 12.3 per cent. The sub-segments developed similarly: sales of packaging glass for food without OGS (fruit, vegetables and preserves) fell by 15.7 per cent in 2023. The sub-segment packaging glass with OGS recorded a decline of 8.0 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year.
„Unfortunately, the negative trend in the container glass market continued in 2023, meaning that we also closed the year as a whole with a poor result. This is still due to a decline in demand and the reduction of inventories. The market recovery that we had hoped for in the second half of the year has therefore not materialised.“
Dr Johann OverathManaging Director of the Bundesverband Glasindustrie e.V.
Looking ahead to the beginning of 2024, the Container glass industry nevertheless confident. According to the ifo business climate index for the hollow glass industry, companies were more optimistic in March about both the business situation (up 6.7 points) and business expectations (up 8.8 points) than in the previous month.
„We hope that there will be a noticeable recovery in the container glass market in the course of 2024 and that the high level of acceptance that glass packaging continues to enjoy among consumers will also be reflected in sales.“
Dr Johann Overath
Source: Glass packaging action forum
