Packaging: The Italian sector in figures
The data analysed by the Italian Packaging Institute’s research centre, published in the Packaging in Figures 2023 study (2022 data), describe a stable sector from a production point of view, with a growing turnover and encouraging forecasts in the short-term
After a couple of years of alternating trends, in 2022 the Italian production of packaging shows substantial stability: -0.4% on 2021, equal to over 18 million tonnes. There was growth in double figures, instead, for turnover, which exceeded 40 billion euros, registering an increase of 15.4% against the previous year. The increase in list prices applied to counterbalance the energy increases and the greater costs of raw materials had a significant impact on turnover growth.
| var. % | var. % | var. % | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2021 | 21/20 | 2022 | 22/21 | Ipotesi 2023 | 23/22 | |
| Balance | |||||||
| (mln euros - estimate) | 33,256 | 35,216 | 5.90% | 40,653 | 15.40% | 41,872 | 3.00% |
| Number of employees (estimate) | - | - | - | 109,491 | - | - | - |
| Number of companies (estimate) | - | - | - | 7,257 | - | - | - |
| Production t/000 | 17,002 | 18,154 | 6.80% | 18,089 | -0.40% | 18,180 | 0.50% |
| Export t/000 | 2,846 | 3,029 | 6,40% | 2,961 | -2.20% | 2,813 | -5.00% |
| Import t/000 | 2,091 | 2,419 | 15.70% | 2,694 | 11.40% | 2,748 | 2.00% |
| Apparent use t/000 | 16,247 | 17,543 | 8.00% | 17,822 | 1.60% | 18,114 | 1.64% |
Falling exports
Exports show a drop of -2.2%, while imports continue their rise, so much so that in 2022 the growth rate was equal to +11.4%. The trade balance remains positive, however, with 267 t/000 more packaging exported, mainly in Europe, compared to imports.
A look at materials
With regards to individual materials, there is a negative trend for paper (-3.4%) and steel (-6.2%) packaging. The significant use of paper packaging impacts on the overall performance of the sector, as cellulose materials represented 31.9% of total packaging produced in 2022. The trend of the other types of packaging was positive.
Medium-term outlook
The outlook for the next few years is generally positive. While a lower sector growth rate is forecast for 2023 due to the general economic situation, in the following years an average annual growth rate of 1.1% is expected, with a production that is estimated to reach 19,141 t/000 in 2026.
