Euromonitor: UK PET growth areas and challenges

“Sports and energy drinks in the UK is the highest contributor to growth in PET and it shows equally bright prospects to 2016,”​ said senior packaging analyst Karine Dussimon.

Following the release of 60ml reclosable shot sizes released by a few brands in energy drinks, Red Bull launched a 330ml version to compliment its standard 250ml can for easier on-the-go consumption, she said.

In carbonates, PET had been able to take share off metal beverage cans in the past two years, because it offered convenience to consumers, said Dussimon.

Reclosability​

“Convenience matters more and more to the British consumer, more than the unit price for this type of product in fact,”​ said Dussimon in an online video blog. “PET offers various sizes and also reclosability. Reclosability was also a good character play for PET in 2011 and 2012.”​

In alcoholic drinks, the use of PET for wine offered a lot of potential, said Dussimon. “Here the use of PET is largely confined to outdoor and seasonal consumption.”​

2012 Olympic Games​

The official wines for the London 2012 Olympic Games, for example, were released in PET bottles.

However, aside from this, penetration of alcoholic drinks would remain a tough bottle for PET, added Dussimon, as it was still largely perceived as incompatible with alcoholic products in contrast to glass, said Dussimon.

Unique consumption of PET in the UK is growing annually by 3% versus overall market growth of 1%, she said.