Western Europe

In 2023, flexible plastic remained the dominant packaging choice for processed meat and seafood in Germany, with its most significant packaging volumes in chilled processed meat. This is due to its effective barrier properties against air, moisture,…

In 2022, packaging volumes of thin wall plastic containers used in chilled processed meat increased as they are durable and cost-effective. Moreover, the heightened awareness of food safety and hygiene standards saw manufacturers adopting packaging…

After seeing dynamic growth in 2020 during the pandemic, total packaging volumes of processed meat and seafood turned to decline in 2021, and volumes continued to see a slight fall in 2022, although remained above the pre-pandemic level. Flexible…

Processed meat and seafood saw dynamic volume growth in Sweden when the pandemic emerged in 2020, as consumers sought to stock up on food that they could store, to avoid the risk of viral transmission. From 2021 onwards, however, as consumers resumed…

Total processed meat and seafood packaging volumes in Switzerland saw a second year of growth in 2023. Chilled processed meat dominated packaging volumes in this category, due to its convenience, and the country’s meat-focused culinary tradition,…

Total processed meat and seafood packaging volumes continued to decline in the Netherlands in 2023, although this was a continued stabilisation process after disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic, and volumes remained higher than pre-pandemic, in…

In July 2023, Sainsbury's, one of the UK's largest supermarket chains and also one of the leading players in processed meat and fish, launched a sustainability programme to reduce plastic waste for its chilled processed meat. It replaced plastic…

Total processed meat and seafood packaging volumes continued to rise in Turkey in 2023, as home cooking persisted in an inflationary period. The relative affordability of processed products compared with fresh ones drove continued growth. Meat is a…

Chilled ready meals continued to record strong unit volume growth in its packaging in 2021. While consumers in home seclusion had been looking for easy options to cook and eat a year earlier in 2020, as consumer mobility increased in 2021, home…

COVID-19 drove a significant increase in demand for ready meals packaging in 2020, with further strong growth seen in 2021. Spending more time at home than usual led to a spike in the retail volume sales of ready meals owing to the ease and…

The positive growth registered in ready meals packaging during 2020 can be attributed mainly to the spike seen in demand for ready meals within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the requirement for all consumer foodservice outlets…

As the number of consumers dining at home increased during lockdown, meal kit producers experienced a surge in demand. As a result, packaging unit volumes of folding cartons and flexible plastic used in dinner mixes recorded explosive growth in 2020.…

While dinner mixes was already the most dynamic category in ready meals packaging prior to the pandemic, it received a major spike in its demand in 2020, as the COVID-19 restrictions boosted demand for these products. With consumers in home seclusion…

As consumers had been spending more time at home during the pandemic, but were wearying of preparing their own meals or were still working, even if from home, and had less time for meal preparation, they were increasingly opting for frozen ready…

Exotic flavours are seeing growing demand among French consumers seeking new taste experiences. This trend is driving increasing interest in products like barbecue and chili sauces, compared to more traditional table sauces such as ketchup and…

Total sauces, dips and condiments packaging volumes continued to fall in Germany in 2023. However, not all categories saw the same negative performance. In 2023, the packaging volumes for cooking and table sauces were on the rise, driven by several…

Glass continues to be the leading pack type in sauces, dips and condiments. Glass packaging has been rooted in Italian cuisine for decades, often associated with natural, healthy and home-made products. These pack types are also regarded positively…

Sauces, dips and condiments packaging volumes returned to slight growth in 2022, stabilising after a couple of years of pandemic-related disruption. Increases were seen for most categories and pack types. In 2022, PET bottles gained pack type share…

In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in Sweden, fears of contracting the disease and restrictions on mobility in the country led to an increased interest in home cooking. Sauces, dips and condiments consequently saw dynamic growth in packaging…

Total sauces, dips and condiments packaging volumes in Switzerland continued to rise in 2023, as these products are a versatile and essential component of meal preparation in the country, often used in various dishes, including traditional Swiss…