General Association of the Plastics Processing Industry (GKV)
Turnover in the plastics processing industry in Germany fell slightly again in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period of the previous year from a very moderate level. The work of the new federal government has not yet provided any impetus for growth.
Turnover in the plastics processing industry fell again by around 1% in the first half of 2025 compared to the previous year. In particular, turnover for manufacturers of plastic packaging fell by 3.8% compared to the same period last year, while turnover for manufacturers of other plastic goods, including technical plastic parts, was down 2.8%. Turnover for manufacturers of plastic construction supplies moved sideways. Sales of manufacturers of semi-finished plastic products (sheets, films, etc.) recorded a slight recovery with an increase of 1.8% following a significant drop in sales in the previous year. The continued decline in domestic demand for plastic products is responsible for the industry’s sales development.
Sales in the plastics processing industry in Germany have been declining since 2023. Although the business climate in the plastics processing industry appears to have brightened slightly since June, overall there has so far been a lack of sufficient impetus to reverse the economic trend towards growth. “The new federal government has so far sent contradictory signals to the economy. There is a lack of concrete reforms to significantly relieve SMEs of bureaucracy and high energy costs and to reduce non-wage labor costs,” says GKV Managing Director Dr. Oliver Möllenstädt. The GKV is therefore calling on the German government to take more decisive and faster steps towards reform. The world’s leading trade fair for the plastics industry, K 2025, which will take place in Düsseldorf in October, is expected to provide positive impetus for the plastics processing industry.
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