Following the first signs of cooling prices for flexible packaging materials seen at the end of 2022, the first quarter of 2023 saw a drop across the basket of materials, with only aluminium foil ticking up further (from 179 % to 187 % v Q4 2020) due to higher conversion costs. Only 60 gsm one sided coated paper remained stable at 170 %, v Q4 2020. Other materials such as 15-micron BOPA film at 147 %, 12-micron PET film at 145 % and 20 micron BOPP film at 140 % recorded minor recent price declines of up to 12 % and remain well above Q4 2020 price levels, according to figures released recently by Flexible Packaging Europe (FPE).

Both LDPE and HDPE recorded much smaller recent price reductions, both at –3 %. They now stand at 161 % (LDPE) and 144 % (HDPE), well above 2020 levels, having been as high as 201 % and 182 % in the middle of last year.