European aluminium foil deliveries rise 5.8% in Q2 as demand shows signs of recovery

The image used in this article is generated with an AI tool and does not depict any real-time moment

European aluminium foil deliveries showed a clear improvement in the second quarter of 2026, following a subdued first quarter. EAFA member companies delivered around 238,000 tonnes between April and June, up 0.6 per cent year on year and 5.8 per cent higher than the 225,000 tonnes delivered in Q1.

The quarter-on-quarter improvement came as the market began to recover from the weakness seen at the start of the year. In Q1, European aluminium foil deliveries fell 4.3 per cent year on year, while Q2 saw European deliveries increase 0.8 per cent. Exports outside Europe also stabilised, moving from the weaker first-quarter environment to a virtually unchanged result of 0.6 per cent in Q2.

June provided the strongest signal of the shift, recording the first clearly positive monthly result of 2026.

The improvement was also reflected in demand across different applications. During Q1, flexible packaging provided some support, with stable or growing demand for uses such as dairy packaging partly offsetting weaker demand for chocolate-related products affected by higher raw material costs. By Q2, technical applications, particularly in the automotive and building sectors, had strengthened further, recording growth of almost 7 per cent.

Explore: The most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report – Aluminum Foil Market Report Forecast Till 2035

Thicker foil and technical applications support Q2

The recovery was not uniform across foil gauges. Deliveries of thinner foil below 60 µm, mainly used in flexible packaging and household applications, remained slightly lower overall in Q2. In contrast, deliveries of thicker foil between 61 and 200 µm increased by more than 8 per cent.

The divergence was even sharper in export markets. Deliveries of thinner foil declined 19.0 per cent, while thicker gauges increased 40 per cent, largely compensating for the weaker export demand for thinner foil.

Across end-use markets, packaging applications remained broadly stable in Q2, while household foil demand continued to decline. At the same time, there were signs of easing pressure in categories such as coffee and chocolate, which have recently been affected by high price levels. Consumer spending, however, remains uncertain amid economic uncertainties and continuing tensions in the Middle East.

Despite the improvement in Q2, the first-half figures remained below last year’s levels. Total aluminium foil deliveries reached around 463,000 tonnes in H1 2026, down 3.0 per cent year on year. The stronger second quarter, particularly the improvement recorded in June, therefore helped reduce the shortfall accumulated during the first three months.

“Following the difficult start to the year, we are seeing an encouraging stabilisation in the second quarter, with significantly more positive signals emerging towards the end of the period,” says Göksal Güngör, Chair of the EAFA Roller Group. “The development in June gives us grounds for cautious optimism for the second half of the year. However, given the continuing economic and geopolitical uncertainty, we do not expect a sharp recovery, but rather a gradual strengthening of demand.”

Explore our e-magazine ALuminium LeaderSpeak 2026 for the latest industry insights and trends