Poland's EU Membership presents packaging opportunities.
companies as food producers look to increase the amount of packaged
food on the market, in order to meet higher standards and take
advantage of a richer population looking for more convenience
foods, writes Chris Mercer.
The Polish packaged food market is forecast to rise by 14 per cent in value terms over the next five years, according to a new report by market analyst group Euromonitor. The report says strict EU membership requirements have "forced polish companies to invest heavily in improving production processes and quality standards".
However, the report says a more lucrative trend for packagers will be the positive effect of Poland's EU accession on employment and disposable incomes. Euromonitor predicts both will rise, leading to faster-paced lifestyles and a 49 per cent increase in the ready meals market up to 2009.
"The development of products designed to save consumers time is expected to have a significant impact on Polish eating habits and is a key trend to watch in the packaged food market in 2005," says the report, adding that snack bars, ready meals and noodles were three main growth areas.
Poles currently work an average of 40 hours per week, slightly above the EU average, and GDP rose by a steady 4.8 per cent in the third quarter of 2004. Yet there are still problems for the convenience food trend. Poland has one of Europe's worst unemployment rates, around 18 per cent compared to about five per cent in Britain and eight in France, and 38 per cent of Poles still live in rural communities.
Even so, some food producers have already tapped into the convenience market in the last two years. For example, Polish firm Pudliszki, owned by the Heinz group, introduced four different microwaveable full-course meals called Meals from the Four Corners of the World, which were "reasonably priced and accepted rather well by the market", says Euromonitor.
These meals obviously depend on the popularity of microwaves, currently owned by one in four Polish households, yet the report believes there will be an important niche market for microwave safe plastic trays and cartons in the next few years.
Thin-wall plastic containers are also becoming popular as a light and convenient package for dried meals based around foods such as noodles and pasta, enabling consumers to make a quick meal at home or in the office by simply boiling water. Use of these containers rose by 140 per cent between 1998 and 2002 and is forecast to increase further.
Meanwhile, flexible packaging, and especially plastic, is expected to maintain its dominance of the market, currently taking a 67 per cent share. It too will be helped by convenience food, including a growth in energy and nutrition snack bars. These bars, such as French firm Danone's Petitki Wafelki 'wafel bar', also reveal an emerging market for products combining both health and convenience, mimicking existing trends in western Europe.
