Beverage Manufacturers: No Need to Worry About a Bottle Shortage

In light of the summer heat and the approaching height of summer, Saxony’s beverage manufacturers do not anticipate a shortage of bottles. All warehouses are well-stocked, reports Norbert Rogge, spokesperson for the Lusatian beverage manufacturer Oppacher. Should shortages arise during the height of summer, the company typically responds by supplying retailers with full bottles only in exchange for empties. So far, however, Rogge sees no signs that this might be necessary.

“Of course, we’re preparing for summer,” said Sibylle Trautmann, spokesperson for Hassia-Mineralquellen in Bad Vilbel, Hesse, which also owns the Saxon brand Lichtenauer Mineralquellen. Since April, unlike in previous years, has not yet seen any hot days, there has been no sharp increase in demand so far this year. 

Round-the-clock operations in midsummer

According to Lichtenauer, the company began pre-production back in the spring and currently has a maximum of 20 million bottles in stock on 40,000 pallets. “That’s enough for three to four weeks during peak season,” said spokeswoman Katharina Voit. During the peak of summer, the company—based in the Mittelsachsen district—produces up to one million liters of beverages per day around the clock.

Should there be a heat wave lasting several weeks in the coming weeks and months, a bottle shortage is conceivable. It is therefore important that people do not hoard their empties in the basement but return them, Trautmann said.