According to the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA), European rollers’ deliveries of aluminum foil fell by 3.3% year on year to 231,700 tons in the first quarter of this year, only slightly lower than the pre-epidemic level of 239,500 tons in 2020. The trading has resumed to the 2020 level after the demand for aluminum foil and inventories increased.
Although the European domestic demand for aluminum foil dropped, the export performance was partly strong. As the regular consumption patterns have returned after the epidemic, domestic aluminum foil delivery slid by 6%, of which foil with thinner gauges, mainly used in flexible packaging and other kitchen applications, had the largest decline of 5.5 %. However, export demand surged by nearly 70% year on year to close the 2020 level.
Guido Aufdemkamp, Executive Director of EAFA, said that inflation is a key factor in the aluminum foil market. If inflation decreases, demand recovery will be expected.