The German container glass industry reports sales growth in the first half of 2020. While sales in the beverage segment fell, sales of packaging glass for food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics rose significantly. pharmaceuticals and cosmetics rose significantly.
Overall, sales of container glass in tonnes rose by 0.9% compared to the same period last year. Developments in Germany and abroad differed: domestic sales rose by 3.6 per cent, while sales abroad fell by 4.4 per cent.
Overall, the industry in Germany benefited from rising food and drink consumption at home during the coronavirus pandemic in the first half of the year. Consumers cooked more at home and stocked up on supplies. However, the coronavirus-related lockdown caused exports to slump, particularly in the following segments Beer and spirits and Wine and sparkling wine.
Falling sales in the beverages segment
Sales in the segment Beverage bottles was negative in the first half of 2020 with a decline of 2.0 per cent. A look at the sub-segments shows a decline in sales in the segments Beer and spirits (minus 5.1 per cent) and Wine and sparkling wine (minus 7.2 per cent). In contrast, non-alcoholic beverages (Water, milk and juice).
Increasing sales of packaging glass for food
The segment Packaging glass for food and packaging glass for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics closed the first half of 2020 with growth of 7.6 per cent. Demand in the cosmetics sector declined temporarily due to the coronavirus pandemic, while the trend in the pharmaceuticals sector was positive. The sub-segments in the food sector also developed positively: Bei Packaging glass for food without OGS (fruit, vegetables and sour preserves), sales grew by 11.6 per cent. The sub-segment Packaging glass with OGS recorded an increase of 2.1 per cent.
„According to the ifo Institute, container glass manufacturers are largely positive about the economic outlook, so we are optimistic about the second half of the year. Business expectations among pharmaceutical glass manufacturers in particular are positive. The industry is prepared to produce millions of glass containers for the filling of a coronavirus vaccine“
Dr Johann Overath, Managing Director of the Bundesverband Glasindustrie e.V.
Source: Glass packaging action forum
