Following a strong first half of the year, the latest figures from the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) show a slowdown in growth in European demand for aluminium foil in the third quarter of 2025. 

Total deliveries from July to September amounted to 225,100 tonnes, representing a moderate increase of 2.2% compared with the same period last year. 

Domestic deliveries within Europe rose by only 0.6%, while exports to non-European countries provided a strong boost with growth of 14.3%. Overall, total shipments in the first nine months of the year reached 702,300 tonnes, an increase of 5.4% year-on-year.

Demand for thinner foil below 60 µm – primarily used for flexible packaging and household applications – had already shown signs of weakening in the second quarter and remained almost flat in the third. 

In particular, applications such as chocolate and coffee packaging have been affected by higher consumer prices and declining sales volumes. 

Even previously dynamic categories such as pet food and coffee capsules are increasingly feeling the impact of reduced consumer purchasing power across Europe.

Caution also remains evident in the markets for semi-rigid containers, while foil for technical applications shows slight signs of recovery after a difficult start to the year. 

However, the increase of around 2.5% is mainly attributable to the weak performance in the same quarter of the previous year. Structural challenges in the construction and automotive industries continue to weigh on this segment.

Although exports remain at a generally high level, they also showed signs of slowing towards the end of the quarter. After many US companies had built up inventories of European aluminium foil during the first half of 2025, this trend has now largely come to a halt. The reason lies in the gradual increase in US tariffs on aluminium products, which is dampening demand for European imports.

“We are currently seeing a normalisation following the exceptionally strong quarters at the start of the year,” says Guido Aufdemkamp, Executive Director of EAFA. 

“While the domestic market is temporarily losing momentum, export markets continue to provide stability. Despite consumer restraint driven by inflation, aluminium foil remains in strong demand as a versatile and sustainable packaging material.”

The outlook for 2026 remains uncertain, as current economic conditions and geopolitical factors do not allow for a reliable assessment of future market developments. However, the industry remains cautiously optimistic that sales in the fourth quarter will slightly exceed those of the previous year.