Beer in PET to reach 7.7bn bottles by 2015

GLOBAL PET beer bottle consumption is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% to reach 7.7 billion bottles by 2015, according to a multi-client study published by Pira International. In 2010, PET beer bottle consumption totalled 6.0 billion units, which represents 2.0% of the 293 billion world beer packaging market volumes (633ml pack equivalents).

The "Future of Beer in PET Packaging" reports that one of the main drivers will be market penetration into areas not suitable for glass, according to a major survey of brewers, brand owners and converters.

While many brand owners remain reticent when it comes to using PET packaging for beer, Pira says interest in the potential is still growing. "Despite not taking off on a large scale in many traditional beer-drinking countries, there is still a huge amount of interest in the potential for beer in PET due to the perceived advantages. New technologies are helping challenge some negative perceptions and create opportunities for brewers, brand owners, packginag converters and suppliers," explains Adam Page, head of editorial at Pira.

China will lead demand fo beer in PET in Asia Pacific, although growth will remain generally lower than was originally anticipated by market participants.