An attempt to compare costs and recyclability
Packaging for water and other beverages is increasingly at the centre of the sustainability debate. This not only raises the question of production costs, but also recyclability and practical implementation in various EU countries. In this specialist article, we compare PET bottles, beverage cartons and pouches in terms of their recycling properties, the country-specific differences and the associated challenges.
1. Crucial Production Costs at a Glance
This is how we calculated to get a rough cost comparison for users:
Comparison of production costs for 0.33 litres of bottled water.
(Standard values for Western European contract filling, as of 2025)
| Cost element | PET bottle (€/pc.) | Beverage carton (€/piece) | Stand-up pouches (€/pc.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water source + licence | 0,005 | 0,005 | 0,005 |
| Primary packaging | |||
| Container (bottle / carton / pouch)- Container (bottle / carton / pouch) | 0,045 | 0,075 (inkl. Druck) | 0,075 |
| Closure (HDPE lid / carton cap / spout)- Closure (HDPE lid / carton cap / spout) | 0,010 | 0,006 | 0,010 |
| Secondary printing / labelling | 0,015 | – (enthalten im Karton) | 0,015 |
| Bottling + energy (incl. CO₂ for sparkling water) | 0,030 | 0,040 | 0,040 |
| Tray / shrink / cardboard packaging | 0,020 | 0,020 | 0,020 |
| Interne Logistik / Handling | 0,010 | 0,010 | 0,010 |
| Total production costs per unit | ≈ 0,135 € | ≈ 0,156 € | ≈ 0,175 € |
Interpretation
- PET bottle
Most favourable overall price thanks to very large quantities of primary materials and highly efficient filling lines. Labelling and lids have a noticeable impact, but remain highly recyclable thanks to the deposit system. The utility value (benefit) for consumers is very high! - Beverage carton
Costs are slightly higher because the printed carton composite is more expensive than pure PET. No separate label required, but slightly higher filling and energy costs. - Stand-up pouches (Pouch)
Pouches save weight, but are relatively expensive as a multilayer composite. Spout assembly and cutting increase material and filling costs. Ecologically interesting if mono-material PE or PP is used – economically just below the can, but clearly above PET and cardboard.
Additional costs that are not part of pure production:
- Transport to the customer/warehouse (+ €0.02 – €0.05/piece)
- Deposit in Germany (+ € 0.25/pc for PET)
- Marketing/design, margins and taxes.
The following rough estimates can be used for further calculations.
| Packaging | Cost per 0.33 litre unit (EUR) | 10,000 units (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| PET bottle | 0,13 – 0,14 | 1.300 – 1.400 |
| Beverage carton | 0,13 – 0,175 | 1.300 – 1.750 |
| Stand-up pouch (pouch) | 0,15 – 0,19 | 1.500 – 1.900 |
2. recyclability in comparison
| Verpackung | Recyclingfähigkeit (%) | Recyclingweg | Infrastruktur in DE/EU |
|---|---|---|---|
| PET-Flasche | 95 – 100 % | Bottle-to-bottle | Exzellent (Pfandsystem) |
| Getränkekarton | 30 – 60 % | Papierfaser wird recycelt | Mittel (Verbundstoffproblem) |
| Standbeutel (Pouch) | 0 – 20 % | Thermische Verwertung | Schwach (Multilayer schwer trennbar) |
3. Recyclingpraxis in ausgewählten EU-Ländern
| Country | PET bottles | Beverage cartons | Pouches (bags) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 🟢 High | 🟠 Medium | 🔴 Low |
| 🇫🇷 France | 🟠 Medium | 🔴 Low | 🔴 Low |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | 🟠 Medium | 🟠 Medium | 🔴 Low |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | 🔴 Low | 🔴 Low | 🔴 Low |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 🟢 High | 🟠 Medium | 🟠 Medium |
| 🇸🇪 Sweden | 🟢 High | 🟠 Medium | 🔴 Low |
| 🇦🇹 Austria | 🟢 High | 🟠 Medium | 🟠 Medium |
| 🇵🇱 Poland | 🔴 Low | 🔴 Low | 🔴 Low |
| 🇩🇰 Denmark | 🟢 High | 🟠 Medium | 🔴 Low |
- 🟢 High: Well-established collection and material recycling
- 🟠 Medium: Limited infrastructure, partly only fibre extraction
- 🔴 Low: No or hardly any material recycling possible
4 Conclusion and recommendations
PET bottles currently offer the best mix of recyclability, established infrastructure and economic feasibility, especially in deposit system countries such as Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands.
Beverage cartons only perform well ecologically if the paper fibres are recovered efficiently, which varies greatly from country to country.
Pouches, on the other hand, pose the greatest challenge: They are light and inexpensive, but hardly recyclable – unless they are mono-material solutions, although their market share is still very small.
Our recommendation: When choosing packaging for beverages in Europe, the recycling infrastructure of the target market should be taken into account. For sustainable brands, PET with a high proportion of recyclate is currently recommended, possibly combined with regional collection strategies and communication on correct disposal.
Helpfull links
https://ec.europa.eu/environment/topics/waste-and-recycling/packaging-waste_en
https://www.flexpack-europe.org
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