The situation on the German PET recycling market is becoming increasingly difficult. Recyclers often reported massive drops in sales volumes in September, especially for clear flakes. Orders were cancelled and pressure on prices was intensifying, the monthly EUWID market survey found. The developments were dramatic, said market players. Recyclers fear they will be facing existential threats in the coming weeks, in part beccause any government measures taken to limit the impact of soaring natural gas prices were unlikely to go into effect before November. For a few recyclers, a price cap would come too late, market experts criticised.
In some cases, recyclers report that deliveries were down by 50 per cent in September compared with the previous month, with the decrease running through nearly all sales segments. Converters were reluctant to make purchases and were themselves facing a decision whether or not to halt production in response to the high energy prices. On top of that, primary PET has become less expensive again and converters are increasingly switching to the primary resin. In addition, competition from abroad is putting pressure on the German market with very low-priced offers for flakes, EUWID was told. Meanwhile, inventories of post-consumer bottles and recyclate are growing. EUWID has learned that one firm is currently searching throughout Germany for storage capacity for around 4,000 tonnes of PET beverage bottles....
