Packaging Industry in Belgium
Euromonitor International's Packaging Industry in Belgium report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides historic market size data by industry, allowing you to identify the most popular pack types. It identifies the leading companies, and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market- be they new product developments, recycling or legislation issues. Forecasts illustrate how the market is set to change.
Chapters: 5 | Tables: 24 | Publication date: Jul 2009
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Executive summary
Eco-tax causes controversy
A new eco-tax system came into effect in 2007, and concerned all packaged goods. It would target the production process, being dependant on packaging weight and CO2 emissions. This has since caused some controversy and arguments among manufacturers, retailers and their trade associations. The government’s decision has been claimed to render a growth in retail prices unavoidable every year since the tax change shows mostly on economy products, and to be unnecessary considering Belgium is the European country with the highest recycling profile. The tax applies in particular to plastic bags, plastic films and aluminium foil.
Europe’s best recyclers
Belgium is the leading country in Europe in terms of recycling and recovery. A very efficient packaging waste management scheme has been put in place. Belgian consumers are committed to doing their share of waste recycling, by sorting waste. This has been of an enormous help to authorities, manufacturers and retailers in their mission to exceed European targets for recycling and packaging waste recovery. As Belgium’s capital is the headquarters for the European Commission, it is even more important for the country to show a good example. The non-profit organisation FOST plus, has co-ordinated the efforts that has put Belgium in the lead in Europe for recycling. The success has been achieved for less €10 per inhabitant per year, which is a very low cost for such an initiative.
More recycling, more waste too
In Belgium, as in many other European countries, the number of small households is increasing. People are choosing to live alone or in small families, with large families being quite rare these days. This means that the consumption of packaged goods has increased. Many small households means many small packaged goods reduced to provide single-serve portions, while in large households larger family-sized packages are purchased. The result of this is more waste to recycle. So even if Belgians are exemplary recyclers, they might not be able to do so much for the environment after all, as they have too much waste to recycle. Because of all this there will be increasing pressure on Belgians to change their consumption habits. More serious decisions will have to be made when choosing packaging volume.
Packaging innovation led by consumer trends
Due to the increasing number of single person and small households in Belgium and other countries in Europe, packaging has been developed. Packaging companies have had to listen to consumer demand and produce new products especially made for consumption in small households, such as single-serve packages. Together with this, the lifestyle in today’s society has become more “on-the go”, which means that packages and closures have to be adapted so that they are convenient enough to be purchased by consumers.
The new way of living, a hectic fast-paced life has affected the industry significantly. Demand has increased for premium and value-added products such as functional foods, premium fruit/vegetable juices, and also other products like disposable cleansing wipes. The demands are resulting in the packaging industry focusing on producing products in attractive and functional packaging. As lifestyles become more fast-paced, demand has increased for products that are ready to eat (single-serving meal solutions for example) and microwaveable products. These packages are usually made of plastic, which causes a decrease in the metal packaging sector.
Table of contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
ECO-TAX CAUSES CONTROVERSY
EUROPE’S BEST RECYCLERS
MORE RECYCLING, MORE WASTE TOO
PACKAGING INNOVATION LED BY CONSUMER TRENDS
MARKET BACKGROUND
PACKAGING LEGISLATION
European legislation
National use of the European legislation
Changes in pack formats
Plans for a new eco-tax
RECYCLING AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Packaging waste management at home
Non-profit organizations come to the rescue
Motivated recyclers
The Belgian collection system
Green Dot logos to mark environmental dedication
Packaging prevention facing challenge with change in shopping habits
CORPORATE ACTIVITY IN PACKAGING
M-REAL SELLS M-REAL MEULEMANS SA TO AUTAJON GROUP
VISUAL IMPACT OF PACKAGING AS IMPORTANT AS EVER
MAJOR MARKET PLAYERS
TETRA PAK BELGIUM NV
Acquisition of Novembal
Innovation
Summary 1 Major End-Use Markets for Tetra Pak Belgium NV by Pack Type 2008
ELOPAK BV
Health awareness and international business
Consumer trends - a priority
Summary 2 Major End-Use Markets for Elopak BV by Pack Type 2008
RPC COBELPLAST NV
Innovation
Healthy performance
Summary 3 Major End-Use Markets for RPC Cobelplast NV by Pack Type 2008
RPC BRAMLAGE ANTWERPEN NV
Summary 4 Major End-Use Markets for RPC Bramlage Antwerpen NV by Pack Type 2008
RPC PACKAGING GENT NV
Summary 5 Major End-Use Markets for RPC Packaging Gent NV by Pack Type 2008
RESILUX NV
Leading PET pre-form producer
Mono-layer and multi-layer bottles production
2007 Results
Prospects
Summary 6 Major End-Use Markets for Resilux NV by Pack Type 2008
CROWN VERPAKKING BELGIE NV
Global
Regional divisions
Positive results for Belgian plants
Food cans and can ends
Beverage cans and ends
Aerosols
Further segmentation
Summary 7 Major End-Use Markets for Crown Verpakking Belgie NV by Pack Type 2008
CROWN SPECIALITY PACKAGING BELGIUM NV
Speciality packaging
Summary 8 Major End-Use Markets for Crown Speciality Packaging Belgium NV by Pack Type 2008
AMCOR FLEXIBLES TRANSPAC NV
Belgian production facilities
Research centre supports Amcor Flexibles Europe
Summary 9 Major End-Use Markets for Amcor Flexibles Transpac NV by Pack Type 2008
AMCOR PET PACKAGING EUROPE NV/SA
Summary 10 Major End-Use Markets for Amcor PET Packaging Europe Nv/sa by Pack Type 2008
VAN GENECHTEN PACKAGING
Summary 11 Major End-Use Markets for Van Genechten-Biermans NV by Pack Type 2008
GERRESHEIMER MOMIGNIES SA
Popular with premium cosmetics brands
Multi-faceted service and speciality glass packaging
OpalNuance to attract upmarket customers
Coloured glass for the premium market
Summary 12 Major End-Use Markets for Gerresheimer Momignies SA by Pack Type 2008
ACG PACKAGING
Product portfolio
High frequency welding
Summary 13 Major End-Use Markets for ACG Packaging by Pack Type 2008
ANL PLASTICS NV
Background
ANL Plastics ecoPP
Summary 14 Major End-Use Markets for ANL Plastics NV by Pack Type 2008
EPOCA PRODUCTS NV/SA
Products
Summary 15 Major End-Use Markets for Epoca Products NV/SA by Pack Type 2008
KVA PACKAGING
Background
Continued investment
Summary 16 Major End-Use Markets for KVA packaging by Pack Type 2008
AMCOR FLEXIBLES FOOD
Markets served
New twist-wrap pack
Summary 17 Major End-Use Markets for Amcor Flexibles Food by Pack Type 2008
HELVOET PHARMA
Product development and innovation
New product: Omniflex3G
Summary 18 Major End-Use Markets for EuralPack Belgium N.V. by Pack Type 2008
TRANSBOX NV
Product range
Summary 19 Major End-Use Markets for Transbox NV by Pack Type 2008
MAJOR PLAYERS BY PACK TYPE
RIGID PLASTIC
Hectic lifestyles generate pickier demand
Rigid plastic sales boosted by innovations
Amcor PET goes green
PET supplied by O-I for Belgian Tropicana production plant
Summary 20 Major Rigid Plastic Packaging Companies by Pack Type 2008
METAL
PET is taking over the market
Lack of metal manufacturers in Belgium
May the strongest survive on the metal market
Summary 21 Major Metal Packaging Companies by Pack Type 2008
FLEXIBLE PACKAGING
High prices in oil and raw materials
Sustainable packaging
Pouches
Summary 22 Major Flexible Packaging Companies by Pack Type 2008
GLASS
Small amount of national production
The rest of Europe is dominating the markets
LIQUID CARTONS
Off-trade distribution channels remain successful
International players on the home field
Swedish leader on top
SIG Combibloc meeting demand for smaller sizes
Tropicana gives Elopak a boost
PAPER-BASED CONTAINERS
Green movement favours paper
Imports lead the market
Domestic players remain in the Belgian industry
Summary 23 Major Paper-based Container Companies by Pack Type 2008
CLOSURES
Closures adapt to hectic lifestyles
Two-sided business
International influence
Change of custody of Amcor White Cap
PROCAP Hoboken NV in plastic closures
Summary 24 Ranking of Major Closure Companies 2007