The European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) reports more moderate growth in the European aluminium foil market for the second quarter of 2025. While total deliveries increased by 4.2% year-on-year to 236,500 tonnes, European demand was much more subdued, while exports supported the industry with double-digit growth.
After a strong start to the year, momentum came to a noticeable standstill in the second quarter. The segment of thinner films below 60 µm, which are primarily used in flexible packaging, was particularly affected. The increase here was only 0.9 per cent. This was due to destocking following inventory purchases at the beginning of the year and weaker demand in areas such as coffee and chocolate packaging, which are suffering from rising raw material costs. Previously growing segments such as pet food are also currently stagnating.
Exports remain the key growth driver
In contrast, foreign markets developed strongly: deliveries to countries outside Europe increased by 26 per cent for thinner formats and by 9 per cent for thicker formats (61-200 µm). Thinner films for flexible packaging continued to be in particularly high demand. Deliveries totalled 480,300 tonnes in the first half of 2025, which corresponds to an increase of 7.7%. While European sales grew by more than 6 per cent, exports to third countries increased by almost 20 per cent.
EAFA expects a subdued second half of the year
„In the second quarter of 2025, we observed a consolidation of demand within Europe. While momentum in the European markets has clearly weakened, the export markets continue to develop positively and provide stability for the industry,“ explained Bruno Rea, Chairman of the EAFA Roller Group. For the second half of the year, the industry expects a more subdued development due to the base effect after the exceptionally strong second half of 2024. Nevertheless, EAFA sees the industry as resilient and internationally competitive.
Source: EAFA
