Glass packaging production volumes in Europe grew by 4.7% in the first half of 2011, according to data released by the European Container Glass Federation (FEVE). This growth builds on increased production already recorded in 2010.
?In the first six months, the European industry produced 10.6 Mtonnes of glass, compared to 10.2 Mtonnes in the first half of 2010. Major EU countries such as France saw a 7.2% increase in production volumes, while Germany was up 7.1%, Italy was up 6.4% and Turkey recorded a growth of 15%, which signals a recovered confidence from customers and consumers.
“The industry has generally seen a recovery from the crisis,” said FEVE President Niall Wall. “This means glass packaging remains one of the reference materials for brands and retailers to deliver high quality food and drinks to both domestic and export markets because glass brings great added value while remaining at a competitive price. Such signals reinforce our confidence in the fact that consumers simply trust glass because of its environmental, health and taste preservation qualities,” he added.