German PET beverage bottles reach 58 percent recycled content

A new study by the Gesellschaft für Verpackungsmarktforschung (GVM) reveals that the average share of post-consumer recyclate (PCR) used in PET beverage bottles in Germany reached approximately 58 percent in 2025. This represents a significant increase from 34 percent in 2019 and 45 percent in 2021.

This figure substantially exceeds the European Union's current mandate, which requires a 25 percent recycled content in single-use PET bottles. The German industry is also well-positioned to meet the upcoming 2030 EU requirement of 30 percent. The Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen (IK) attributes this growth to the established domestic deposit system and recycling infrastructure, which allows for the recovery of over 95 percent of used PET.

Industry representatives note that the increased use of recyclate is driven by efforts to improve carbon footprints. Additionally, the industry has seen a reduction in total PET usage; in 2025, 25 percent less PET was processed into bottles compared to 2017, partly due to lightweighting techniques such as thinner walls and shorter threads.