Aluminium foil deliveries inside Europe stayed relatively strong thanks to more demand for some gauges used in packaging application, during the current pandemic. Exports continued to decline due to lockdowns in many countries and disrupted supply chains. Total deliveries were down 4.5% in Q2, compared to 2019, at 234,000 tonnes. The first six months of this year saw production fall 2.0% to 476,000 tonnes, according to figures released by the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA). However, a more detailed look shows that domestic deliveries of thinner gauges, mainly used for flexible packaging and household foils, actually increased marginally (0.3%) in these three months. This helped European deliveries of all gauges in the first six months of 2020 to add 0.5% over last year. The increase is accounted for by demand for food and pharmaceutical packaging caused by the pandemic, with more home consumption and less out-of-home usage, it is believed. Overall there was a small drop in total deliveries for thinner gauges, down 0.6% in the first half.
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