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201120122013201420152009340234915643191883170338220851810458226818603502210Italian beverage can fillings witnessed significant growth in 2015, with a 6.3% increase year-on-year. The rise was driven by an impressive 8% upsurge in canned soft drinks fillings, which account for the vast majority of the Italian can market.The market growth comes on the back of a gradual recovery for the Italian economy following the financial crisis that has affected Europe in recent years.Much of the increase in soft drinks can fillings can be attributed to warm summer weather, which helped boost retail sales, while Italian fillers are also producing more and more filled cans for export, particularly to emerging markets outside the European Community (EC).The growth in the canned soft drinks sector also underlines the package’s preference among consumers, particularly in the on-trade market, with the can seen as the most practical single-serve drinks package at pubs, bars and pizza restaurants. The can has also proved especially popular for public events, such as music festivals, as it is seen as a safe container, which is lightweight and shatterproof as well as being environmentally friendly– making it ideal for on-the-go consumption. Beer fillings saw a decrease of 2.9% in 2015, continuing a downward trend that has been observed in recent years, with brewers heavily affected by increasing taxes.Despite this, drinks brands in both the soft drinks and beer sectors are increasingly recognising the added value offered by packaging their drinks in cans. These include advanced printing techniques, special inks and coatings and diverse can shapes and sizes – which can all offer beverage producers the opportunity to enhance their brands and make their products stand out on the shelf.Another key factor that offers good potential for market growth is the increasing export sales that are being enjoyed by domestic beverage producers.ITALYCAN FILLINGS ENJOY IMPRESSIVE UPSURGE AS ECONOMIC RECOVERY CONTINUES AMIDST EXCELLENT SUMMER WEATHERJUST THE TEAThe Estathé iced tea brand, which is owned by Ferrero and has been on the Italian market since 1972, received a modern makeover in 2015. The drink, which is available in lemon- and peach-flavoured varieties, chose the sleek 330ml can format for its reinvention, with high-tech printing also providing a more luminous effect on the colours and graphics, creating even greater on-shelf appeal. SOFT DRINKS BEERCAN FILLINGS FOR BEER AND SOFT DRINKS, 2011-2015 (MILLIONS OF UNITS)MARKET SNAPSHOT• Beverage can fillings increase as Italian economy begins to recover• Drinks brands increasingly recognising benefits of cans• Export market offers potential future growthBEER - SHARE OF MARKET BY PACK TYPE, 2015 (VOLUME) 21% Cans 6% Refillable glass 73% Non-refillable glassSOFT DRINKS - SHARE OF MARKET BY PACK TYPE, 2015 (VOLUME) 16% Cans 3% Refillable glass 4% Non-refillable glass 77% Non-refillable PET2.35BNTOTAL CAN FILLINGS UP 6.3%2BNSOFT DRINKS CAN FILLINGS UP 8%340MBEER CAN FILLINGS DOWN 2.9%A YEAR IN NUMBERSCOUNTRY REPORTS62 EUROPEAN CAN MARKET REPORT 2016