Market evolution: Artificial sausage casings (CN 391710) — 2015–2025

Introduction

This report examines the EU's external trade in artificial sausage casings (customs code 391710) over the period 2015–2025. The product covers casings made from either hardened protein (sub-code 39171010) or cellulose materials (sub-code 39171090). The EU is a major global producer and a significant net exporter of this product, with a trade surplus that grew from €380 million to €493 million over the period (+29.7%). Meanwhile, EU production value roughly doubled, rising from €593 million to €1.2 billion, even as output in tonnes grew more modestly from 67,300 t to 90,000 t (+33.7%). The decade was shaped by rising unit values, a sharp reorientation of both import and export partnerships, and growing sectoral concentration among a few EU member states.

1. A value-driven export expansion outpacing volume growth

Export values rose substantially while volumes stagnated

Between 2015 and 2025, EU exports of artificial sausage casings grew from €442.8 million to €600.5 million, a gain of 35.6%. Over the same period, export volumes rose only 6.9%, from 31,156 t to 33,311 t. The principal driver of export growth was therefore a 26.8% increase in average unit export prices, which climbed from €14,211/t to €18,024/t.

This pattern — strong price appreciation with limited volume growth — is consistent with a sector leveraging premium positioning, possibly reflecting quality differentiation, input cost inflation, or a shift toward higher-value protein-based casings in the export mix.

Import growth was faster, driven by both volume and price

EU imports expanded more rapidly than exports in percentage terms: value surged 71.5% (from €62.6 million to €107.4 million) and volume rose 49.6% (from 4,702 t to 7,034 t). Unit import prices increased 14.7%, reaching €15,270/t by 2025. Despite this acceleration, the EU remained a strong net exporter, with the net import reliance ratio deepening from –39% to –68%, indicating an increasingly pronounced export orientation.

The two sub-products followed divergent price trajectories

A closer look at the sub-product breakdown reveals that the two components of CN 391710 behaved quite differently:

Protein-based casings command a significant price premium over cellulose casings in both trade flows. Notably, import prices for cellulose casings fell by 14.1% over the decade, likely reflecting growing supply from low-cost producers and intensified competition in this more commoditised segment.

2. A dramatic reorientation of trading partners

The United States consolidated its position as the EU's top export market

The US became the EU's dominant export destination, with shipments rising from €79.2 million to €140.3 million (+77.3%). By 2025, the US alone absorbed 23.4% of EU extra-EU exports. Other growth markets included the Philippines (+54.7%, reaching €40.9M), Brazil (+38.2%, reaching €27.2M), and Ukraine (+58.6%, reaching €22.4M). These markets collectively reflect rising global demand for processed meat products and the EU's ability to serve distant markets with high-quality casings.

Russian exports collapsed following geopolitical disruption

The most dramatic shift on the export side was the decline in EU exports to Russia, which fell from €61.2 million in 2015 to just €22.9 million in 2025 (–62.6%). Russia was the second-largest export market in 2015 but fell to sixth place by 2025. The sharpest contraction coincided with the period following 2022, when EU sanctions restricted trade. This loss was largely absorbed by growth in other markets.

Serbia emerged as the overwhelmingly dominant import source

On the import side, Serbia surged from €29.9 million to €73.8 million (+147.3%), making it by far the EU's largest supplier of artificial casings from outside the bloc. By 2025, Serbia alone accounted for 68.7% of extra-EU imports by value. Several factors likely explain this: Serbia's proximity to the EU, its candidacy status facilitating trade integration, and the presence of Viscofan — a major global casing producer — with production facilities in the country.

Meanwhile, several smaller suppliers saw explosive growth from low bases:

The decline in UK imports (–37.5%) is consistent with post-Brexit trade friction, while the rapid emergence of China, Türkiye, and Armenia as suppliers points to a diversification of sourcing away from traditional European partners.

Import concentration intensified while export markets remained diversified

The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) for imports by value rose from 3,820 to 4,982 (+30.4%), reflecting the growing dominance of Serbia. This level of concentration (well above the 2,500 threshold typically associated with a highly concentrated market) signals a meaningful supplier-dependence risk. By contrast, the export HHI remained low and stable (729 to 766), indicating that EU exporters serve a broadly diversified set of global markets.

3. Czechia and Spain anchor a concentrated EU production base

Czechia dominates EU exports, followed by Spain and Germany

The EU's export structure is heavily concentrated among a small number of member states. Czechia alone accounted for €275.9 million in 2025 — nearly 46% of all extra-EU exports — followed by Spain (€147.9M, 24.6%) and Germany (€99.1M, 16.5%). Together, these three countries represent over 87% of the EU's external trade in this product.

The specialisation analysis confirms this pattern: Czechia displays by far the highest revealed symmetric comparative advantage (RSCA = 0.739, RCA = 6.66), followed by Spain (RSCA = 0.448, RCA = 2.62). This suggests the presence of major production clusters in these countries — Czechia is home to key Viscofan facilities, while Spain hosts the headquarters of Viscofan Group, the world's largest casing producer.

France emerged as a fast-growing but still minor exporter

France's exports surged from just €0.7 million to €30.3 million over the period, representing a dramatic increase (+4,533%). Despite this rapid growth, France remains far behind the top three exporters and has a negative RSCA (–0.98), suggesting this growth likely reflects the expansion of a specific firm or facility rather than the development of a broad comparative advantage.

EU production grew in value far faster than in volume

EU production data show output rising from 67,300 t to 90,000 t (+33.7%) while production value approximately doubled from €593 million to €1.2 billion (+102.3%). This implies that average domestic production prices roughly doubled as well — a significantly larger increase than in trade prices. This discrepancy may reflect the inclusion of lower-value cellulose casings in trade flows versus a production base increasingly tilted toward premium protein casings, or alternatively, growing input costs (particularly for cellulose and protein raw materials) that are passed through more fully in domestic pricing.

The EU strengthened its position as a net exporter

Several indicators confirm the EU's growing autonomy and export orientation:

The deepening of the net import reliance ratio (from –39% to –68%) indicates that the EU's surplus position strengthened substantially. Meanwhile, rising trade intensity and export propensity suggest that the sector became more globally integrated and outward-oriented over the decade.

Conclusion

The EU artificial sausage casings market (CN 391710) evolved significantly between 2015 and 2025. The EU consolidated its role as a major net exporter, with export values growing 35.6% driven primarily by price appreciation rather than volume expansion. The trading-partner landscape was reshaped by geopolitical and structural forces: Russia's decline as an export market, the post-Brexit drop in UK-sourced imports, and Serbia's emergence as the overwhelmingly dominant import supplier — now accounting for nearly 70% of extra-EU imports by value. The EU production base is highly concentrated in Czechia and Spain, linked to the presence of major global casing manufacturers, while EU production value doubled to €1.2 billion. Looking ahead, the growing import concentration on Serbia and the rising exposure to a small number of export markets (notably the US) represent both opportunities and vulnerabilities for the sector.