MARKET TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS IN PACKAGING, EMAP, BRUSSELS 2001

Françoise Pardos, Pardos Marketing, February 2006

Plastics in packaging

Plastics have become the true star in packaging. Practically everywhere packaging is the main end-use for plastics, in overall tonnage, between 30 and 40 % of total plastics consumption. The story of plastics in packaging is one of successful and continuous growth. Total plastics consumption for packaging in Western Europe was less than 4 million tons in 1979, 5 million tons in 1985 and over 12 million tons in 1999, or 5.6 % a year growth over this twenty year period, of which a few years were marked by an almost complete stagnation in the plastics industry as in many others.

Growth index of packaging materials in Europe 1979-2000,
tonnage-based, 1979= 100

Source: Pardos Marketing, European estimates

Consumption  of main plastics packaging types in 1999,
in thousands of tons

* Only primary packaging, excluding crates
** < 200 liters
*** Twine, sleeves, labels, strapping, foams other than PS
Source: Pardos Marketing, estimates, and various sources, Modern Plastics, etc.

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