PET recycling in Germany well above EU targets
Rising recycled-content targets under the PPWRlightweighting, deposit schemes rolling out across more EU countries: the PET world is changing fast – and Germany is leading the way. A new study by GVM, the German packaging market research institute, commissioned by Forum PET , shows that the average share of recycled PET (rPET) in German beverage bottles reached 58 per cent in 2025 – more than twice the EU minimum quota of 25 per cent.
The headline numbers from the GVM study
Four results explain why PET beverage bottles are now cited as a flagship of Germany’s circular economy:
- 58 per cent recycled content on average in German PET beverage bottles in 2025.
- Over 95 per cent recovery rate – most of the PET used in beverage bottles stays in the loop and becomes bottles again.
- 25 per cent less material per bottle since 2017, thanks to lightweighting with shorter necks and thinner walls – with no loss of stability.
- 20 years of deposit return– Germany’s DPG scheme is celebrating its anniversary and forms the backbone of the high collection rate.
Dr Thomas Struppert, chairman of Forum PET, put it this way in the study statement: PET bottle recycling shows „what is possible when industry and policy design things together".
The full press release (only available in German) from Forum PET, including all charts and figures, is available at: Studie zu PET-Getränkeflaschen: Recycling in Deutschland übertrifft EU-Vorgaben deutlich – Forum PET
What this means for your PET bottle from our plant
We produce PET bottles for beverages, food, cosmetics and home care in Schmalkalden – from our own preforms all the way to the finished bottle. For brands choosing PET, the study translates into something very concrete:
- Bottle to bottle. Every bottle made with us is fully compatible with the bottle-to-bottle loop that the study documents.
- Flexible rPET content. Our bottles are available with rPET shares of 30, 50 or 70 per cent – adjusted per series and per project. In day-to-day practice we recommend up to 50 per cent as the sweet spot between recycling value, visual brilliance and supply security.
- Design for Recycling as default Mono-material construction, PURE PET closure made from 100 per cent PET, and compatibility with digital watermarks for the next generation of sorting technology.
- PPWR-ready with headroom. The PPWR threshold of 30 per cent recycled content from 2030 is already standard practice in Germany – with enough buffer to absorb fluctuations in rPET availability.
- Standard or tailor-made. Our Bottle Finder delivers a quotation within 24 hours from the standard range. For custom bottles, our EPRO Studio handles design, mould-making and series production – all under one roof in Schmalkalden.
Conclusion
The GVM study confirms what we see in daily work with our customers: PET bottles from German production are among the most consistent examples of a functioning circular economy. For brands that think about packaging in terms of PPWR readiness, lightweighting and transparent recycled content, that is a strong foundation.
We build that foundation in Schmalkalden with in-house preform production, hotfill capability and freely configurable rPET content – whether you need a standard series from the Bottle Finder or a bottle no-one has made before.
Open the Bottle Finder to find the right PET bottle – or request a consultation for your custom bottle development..
Further reading: www.forum-pet.de
