Glass packaging (2023)

The analysis examines the glass packaging sector, both hollow and tube types. With regards to hollow glass packaging, the subdivision used by Imballaggio in Cifre (Packaging in Figures) and shared with the Assovetro glass category Association, is organized into bottles, jars and small bottles and vials. Tube glass packaging is mainly used in the pharmaceutical sector and can be essentially of two types: vials and bottles.

Barbara Iascone

The food sector, specifically in the alcoholic drinks area, is the principal user of glass packaging. The glass bottle is, in fact, the only type of packaging present, in particular, in the sparkling wines and spirits packaging mix, while there is a clear prevalence for wine and beer.
In 2023, over 4,600 t/000 of glass packaging were used, of which 97.5% for the food sector, the remaining 2.5% subdivided mainly between cosmetics and pharmaceutical.
In the food context, 75% is represented by bottles intended for the drinks sector and the remaining 25% is divided between jars and bottles intended for the food sector (tomato derivatives, preserves, milk, condiments, etc.). Use in the cosmetics sector mainly relates to the field of alcoholic perfumery, but also the cream segment sees a fair use of glass jars, especially for high-range products.

Market data

On the basis of analyses published in Imballaggio in Cifre (Italian Packaging Institute ed. 2023, using Assovetro data), in 2023 the production of empty glass packaging fell to 4,447 t/000, registering a fall of -4.4%, influenced by the negative trend recorded by the sectors where there is greatest use: alcoholic drinks alone fell, in fact, by almost 7%.

Foreign trade also recorded a poor year, with exports at -11.7% and imports at -4.2%. Apparent consumption fell by 3.6%. Foreign trade confirms the customary negative trade balance for Italy, which is the result of an apparent higher consumption of glass bottles than those produced in Italy.

This characteristic is linked both to the bottles and to the jars markets, given that the Italian production capacity is unable to meet internal market demand, leading to the need to resort to imports. On the basis of ISTAT analyses, turnover fell -5.5%, due to a physiological shift after the +12% recorded in 2022.

Bottles: production and use. In 2023, the production of bottles represented 87.4% of the empty glass packaging sector, recording a fall of 5.3% against 2022. Imports also fell (-11.6%), as did exports (-18.3% compared to the previous year). Apparent consumption (which doesn’t take account of the movement of stocks) fell by 5.7%. 71.5% of the bottles produced were allocated to the alcoholic drinks market, slightly down compared to 2022. There was a slight growth, instead, in the share allocated to the non-alcoholic drinks area, including milk, which in 2023 represented around 14.9% of the segment. It’s precisely in this area that there is a pro-glass trend, both for drinks and for milk products. 8.4% is the share relating to the tomato derivatives sector (purees and ketchup) and, finally, 5.2% of bottles were allocated to the condiments area.

With regards to the use of glass bottles filled and issued on the market, for 2023 a quantity of over 4,140 t/000 is estimated, down compared to 2022, confirming the production trend.

Jars: production and use. The production of jars (empty, to be filled) represents 6.8% of the total production of glass packaging, recording in 2023 a -1%.

There was also a quite significant fall in exports for jars of -28.6%, while imports grew, closing 2023 with a +4,9%. Use also fell, to around 590 t/000 (-2.2% compared to 2022). The segmentation of the glass jars area relates to different types of products. The most representative area is vegetable preserves and ready pasta sauces, which in 2023 represented 60.6% of the segment. With regards to the “other food” heading with a share of 15.8%, these refer to fruit in syrup, olives, corn, spices, jams, spreads, yogurt...

Sauces absorb 7.1% of the jars used, followed just behind by baby foods (homogenized products) at 6%. The fish preserves sector (tuna, anchovy and mackerel fillets, etc.) uses 4.3%. The remaining 2.8% is allocated to non-food products, essentially in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical sectors.

Small bottles and vials: production and use. Again, with reference to empty packaging, the production of glass bottles and vials in 2023 records a growth of 6.5%. Foreign trade also shows essentially positive trends, +55.9% for imports and +1.8% for exports.

In 2023 the segmentation by sectors of use in this category sees 63.5% allocated to the cosmetics sector and 34.5% to pharmaceuticals; the remaining 2% refers to the “other sectors of use” heading, mainly in a chemical context (paints, glues, etc.). This type of glass packaging represented 5.2% of the entire sector in 2023.

With regards to the use of the tube glass (the remaining 0.6% of glass packaging), the distribution is today stable at 85% for the pharmaceutical sector and the remaining 15% is divided between cosmetics and other uses. The area recorded a production growth of +15.3%.