German Container Glass Market Sees a Weaker Start to the Year
News General news
Sales of container glass in Germany declined by 3.4% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year, falling to approximately 929,000 metric tons. According to the Aktionsforum Glasverpackung, both domestic and foreign sales declined. The beverage bottle segment saw a particularly sharp decline in sales during the reporting period.
Sales of beverage bottles fall by 5%
In the beverage bottle segment, sales in the first quarter of 2026 fell by 5% compared to the previous year. All sub-segments recorded declining volumes. Sales of beer and spirits fell by 1.1%, while those of wine and sparkling wine dropped by 8.6%. The non-alcoholic segment—water, milk, and juice—recorded a decline of 5.4%.
Mixed Trends in Food Packaging
Sales of glass packaging for food and glass packaging for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics remained stable in the first quarter of 2026. No change was recorded compared to the same period last year.
The picture varies across the two subsegments. Sales of glass packaging for food excluding fruits, vegetables, and pickled vegetables (OGS) declined by 1.7%. By contrast, the subsegment for glass packaging containing OGS recorded growth of 2.6% compared to the same period last year.
Action Forum Warns of Additional Burdens
According to Dorothée Richardt, spokesperson for the Glass Packaging Action Forum, sales trends for beverage bottles indicate that the container glass market has not yet recovered. Additional regulatory burdens in key consumer sectors could further exacerbate the already tense situation. Richardt points to the planned increase in the excise tax on sparkling wine and spirits.
According to the Action Forum, further fiscal burdens could exacerbate declines in demand. The impact on the entire supply chain should therefore be carefully weighed, and it should be assessed whether the expected benefits of the measure are proportionate to the economic burdens.
