After a relatively modest start in 2021, labelstock demand in Europe boomed in the second quarter. Compared to the same quarter of 2020, consumption of self-adhesive label materials in Europe was 9.3% higher. This is all the more remarkable when considering that label demand already peaked in Q2 2020 with an annual growth rate of 8% due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The demand peak in the spring of 2021 correlated with the general economic recovery in Europe as demonstrated by the 13.2% growth of the EU economy compared to Q2 in 2020.
Contrary to 2020, labelstock demand growth was led by volume paper roll demand which increased by a record 14.6% year-on-year, as opposed to a 4.2% decline in demand for filmic roll label materials, compared to the peak in Q2 2020 (when non-paper rolls registered a record increase of 22.4%). The peak in paper roll demand already announced itself in the first quarter, when reports came in about paper shortages in the supply chain, after a period of destocking.
Overall, in the first half of 2021, self-adhesive labelstock demand in Europe grew by 5.4% compared to the first half of 2020 (plus 7.7% for paper rolls, and a ‘modest’ 0.3% for filmic rolls).
Regionally, demand growth in the first half of 2021 was led by strong, double-digit year-on-year growth rates recorded in UK & Ireland, Southern Europe and Eastern Europe. It should be noted that a year ago, all three regions ‘underperformed’ compared to Northern and Central Europe, which peaked with above 15% growth rates in Q2 2020 and recorded substantial declines compared to this excessive period one year later.
FINAT, founded in Paris in 1958 with headquarters in The Hague (The Netherlands), is the European association for manufacturers of self-adhesive labels and related products and services. With more than 550 members in over 50 countries around the world, FINAT has much to offer to labels and package printing converters and all suppliers to the industry in terms of information exchange and in terms of international networking. www.finat.com
For more information, please contact:
Elke Verbaarschot, tel. + 31 70 312 39 10; info@finat.com
