Paper vs. plastic: demand for plastic bags declining
Editorial staff Interempresas 26/12/2022
Is it back in fashion to buy products without packaging? Recently, small shops that were committed to organic and fair trade products have had to do without packaging. On the other hand, large supermarket chains are trying to reduce the amount of plastic waste with reusable nets and paper bags.
This is the second time Ceresana has studied the European market for flexible plastic, paper and aluminium packaging. This includes consumer goods packaging for end-users, but also, for example, shrink and stretch films for storage and transport, labels, carrier bags of all kinds, heavy duty bags and flexible intermediate bulk packaging (FIBC). “We expect the demand for flexible packaging in Europe to decrease slightly overall, reaching around 19.05 million tonnes in 2031,” says Oliver Kutsch, CEO of Ceresana. “However, different packaging types and materials evolve with different dynamics.
Resistant bags
In many economic sectors, the coronavirus pandemic has had a strong impact. In some cases, businesses were forced to close their doors: In many cases, restaurants were closed and people had more time to cook. The number of food packages was also reduced.
Dieser Effekt schwindet noch wieder: “At the end of 2022, and possibly also in 2023, many Member States will have to cope with an increase in energy demand and inflation. The growth of oil prices and imports, as well as exports and industry, will improve with the development of the economy as a whole: The 2019 level in these sectors will not be reached until 2025”.
Transport packaging will benefit from the new trend of convenience and the increasing volume of the internet market. The growing trend for convenience translates into the use of pouch packaging, which allows consumers to compare larger packages with smaller ones. In the pharmaceuticals packaging market, the trend is towards built-in unit packs for medicines, such as transport sachets.
Less plastic, more paper
The European Union’s ‘Green Pact’ and ‘Plastics Strategy’ are starting to…
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