Demand was up nearly 10% in 2003 and is expected to grow by 8% this year

Consumption of PET grew by almost 10% last year – the highest growth of all standard thermoplastics in western Europe. John Hodgkinson, senior consultant at consultancy CMAI, said PET consumption reached 2.6 million tonnes in 2003.

“This year growth is likely to be lower, mainly because the poor summer weather has meant lower sales of mineral water and soft drinks,” he said. “However, we still believe that sales will be up by around 8% for the year as a whole.”

CMAI expects growth rates for PET resin sales in western Europe of 8% to 10% per annum over the next five years. “There is still plenty of scope for PET to replace glass in water bottles,” said Hodgkinson. “In Germany – Europe’s largest market for PET – at least a third of water bottles continue to be made from glass.”