Prelest Bio was recently launched in Russia. The bioantiperspirant
is formulated with seaweed (among other
ingredients) and works for 48 hours. The design of the
container reflects the look, feel and freshness of the sea
with green and blue accents. The can—manufactured by
Arnest—is made of a special aluminum alloy that allows
for a reduction in material consumption; the weight of
the slug can be reduced up to15%. The alloy composition
and its technical characteristics mean it can be used on
standard lines to produce aluminum slugs and aerosol
cans using standard production techniques.
Source: AEROBAL
January 2020 SPRAY 15
Aerosol Market
Trends in the European
Aerosol Market
Gregor Spengler, Secretary General, The International Organization
of Aluminum Aerosol Container Manufacturers (AEROBAL)
In 2018, total production of aluminum
aerosol cans in Europe amounted to
about 3.9 billion cans, which represents
a drop of 2.6% compared to 2017.
Additionally, since the first half of 2019,
European production decreased by 2.5%
compared to the first half of 2018; it is
likely that production in 2019 will again
be below the previous year’s level.
The main reasons for this development
are that the European market has been a rather
saturated geographical area for the last few years and that,
throughout 2019, demand from the dominant deodorant
sector has been rather sluggish, partly also due to destocking
activities of customers.
Nevertheless, there are some positive market signals,
too; demand from pharmaceutical customers has been
increasing in the last few years because they appreciate the
safety, hygiene and exact application offered by aerosols.
In addition, some hair and body care products, such as dry
shampoo, shower foam and sun protection spray, have been
doing quite nicely throughout 2019. However, it is necessary
to further enlarge the variety of products packed in aerosols
to achieve market growth in Europe again.
The simplification of can designs is one of the current
trends on the European aerosol market. Some brand owners
are looking for less complex solutions in order to cut costs.
Moreover, more ambitious sustainability and recycling requirements
have gathered momentum in the wake of global
“plastic bashing.” Aluminum can producers are developing
new alloys to achieve further down-gauging and improve
the carbon footprint of cans. In addition, can producers
are looking for possibilities to use post-consumer material
for the production of new cans, which is a big quantitative,
qualitative and technical challenge for the industry. In
general, aluminum, as a so-called permanent material, is
infinitely recyclable without loss in quality. The high value of
aluminum gives another convincing incentive in the entire
supply chain to recycle it and keep it in an endless material
loop. Nevertheless, given the ambitious recycling rates
that were laid down in the amended European Packaging
& Packaging Waste Directive, major investments in modern
collection and sorting technologies will be needed in many
European countries to meet the legal requirements and to
increase the quantity and quality of the sorted material. In
addition, it will be a challenge for the aerosol industry to
find proper answers to customers investigating solutions
for refillable and reusable packaging, because re-use is
promoted by European legislators.
Another important trend is increasingly stricter European
regulations on “critical” substances, which are putting
pressure on the supply chain to develop alternative lacquer
systems to, for example, BPA- and NMP-based coatings. A
joint Supply Chain Group consisting of lacquer producers,
aluminum can producers and brand owners was established
by the German Aluminum Association and AEROBAL to
monitor regulatory developments and deliver tools to cope
with the challenges. Today, alternative lacquers are available
and it is now up to brand owners to make use of them.
The recent merger of Ardagh and Exal to form the new
aerosol can giant Trivium Packaging was a striking development
in the aerosol industry. It is likely that consolidation
in the industry will continue in the coming years in the
framework of an increasingly competitive market environment
worldwide.
Aerosols in the EU
Alexis Van Maercke, Secretary General, The Association of European
Producers of Steel for Packaging (APEAL)
Steel for packaging has been trusted by brands and
consumers for decades. It is valued for its strength
and ability to preserve goods thanks to its 100% barrier
against light, water and air.
Today’s brands and manufacturers demand more from
their packaging, and sustainability has
become a priority as we move towards a
more Circular Economy. As a permanent
material, steel is endlessly recyclable
without loss of quality, and an average
of 80.5% of steel packaging is currently
recycled in Europe1. Despite some misconceptions
among consumers, this figure
also includes empty aerosol cans that can
be collected and recycled along with all other items of steel
packaging.
Because steel scrap is a necessary component in the
production of new steel, every single steel plant also acts as