The road ahead

Mr Williams, where are trends in consumer behaviour headed, and how are they affecting the glass packaging industry? 

Looking at the European glass packaging market, we are seeing a perceptible growth in overall sales. In terms of consumer behaviour, there is a “squeezing of the middle” - consumers are choosing products with a premium feel for special occasions, while opting for price-conscious solutions for everyday staples. In Wine, for example, demand has been under pressure. Yet, premium formats such as magnum bottles and occasion-based drinks like Spritz continue to outperform the broader trend. Meanwhile, the food and non-alcoholic beverage segments are seeing growth as consumers seek out innovation and new formats and prioritise pantry staples. 

How can Vetropack support customers in leveraging these shifts? 

We offer our customers various routes, depending on their positioning and target consumers. One important lever is premiumisation via, for example, embossing or unique colours from mint green to Grandala blue. This is especially relevant for super-premium alcoholic beverages, or as a differentiating factor for mineral water in hospitality. Food producers are also showing increasing interest in coloured glass, either to underline a specific positioning, such as plant-based products, or to accompany a shift from metal cans. Demand for distinctive shapes is growing – from jams and preserves to iconic jars for chocolate spread. One of the most important points for our customers, however, is the combination of large-scale capacity and flexibility that Vetropack can offer.

How does this combination of large-scale capacity and flexibility work in practice?

Brand owners and bottlers that want to adapt sizes, shapes, or colours – or switch to glass packaging entirely – need to know that we can support them with both time-to-market and production capacity for their future growth. Our equipment and technical expertise allow us to work flexibly with our customers and carry out even significant changes in production. A current example is one of our high-speed lines in Ukraine, which had previously been used for beverage bottle production. We are now converting this line to serve the food market.

What motivates manufacturers to switch to glass packaging?  

One important driver is growing awareness of microplastics and chemicals in packaging. Scientific research is raising questions about potential health risks linked to certain food contact materials. Glass, by contrast, is inert and preserves taste, quality, and product integrity. Especially for brands positioned as healthy beverages or food offerings, glass provides a strong opportunity to align the packaging with the product promise. For some of our customers, preparing for the upcoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is also part of the motivation.

What role can glass play in helping manufacturers meet PPWR requirements?

For one, glass already fulfils the recyclability requirement set out in the PPWR. By 2030, the regulation as published will require retail and HoReCa to offer at least 10 percent of beverages in reusable packaging, supported by an established reuse infrastructure. This is where glass has a clear advantage. Reuse models are already in place, and glass is ideally suited for industrial-scale refilling over multiple cycles. Our leadership in reusable glass is underscored by our thermally strengthened, lightweight Rezon bottle. Since its launch in 2024, it has become one of the few packaging solutions in the Austrian beverage industry to show growth.

What is your outlook for Vetropack and glass packaging in general in the years ahead? 

For both, it is important to take a long-term view. Glass production is built around long-lived assets, and as a family-owned company, Vetropack prioritises long-term planning over quarterly results. To ensure that both we and our customers can also leverage fast-moving trends, we are placing an even stronger emphasis on customer-centricity. Close collaboration has always been important and a feature of our relationships, borne out in our regular Voice of Customer surveys. Today, understanding our customers’ evolving needs is more important than ever. This enables us not only to react to market trends, but to shape them together and create long-term success.