Flaconnage Flops

Poor sales of perfumes and cosmetics are expected to lead to a 10% fall in flaconnage bottle sales in Italy, according to the country's packaging association. Overall glass container production in Italy for 2004 is predicted to rise by around 0.5% from last year. The slump in flaconnage sales has been offset by a 7-8% increase in production and sales of jars, particularly for foods, while bottle sales have remained roughly stable. Sales of Italian wines have held up whereas those of French wines have fallen, leading to protests on the streets of France by grape growers and wine makers.