The increase in net sales to €9.98bn came despite a 0.7 per cent decline in the processing business, which accounts for around a tenth of company turnover.
Meanwhile, emerging market growth drove a 5.9 per cent increase in packaging sales. Double digit growth was recorded in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, China and South America.
Alongside the financial figures, Tetra Pak revealed how it had performed against the carbon emissions target it set five years ago.
Environmental targets
Against a 2005 base line, the carton packaging specialist said carbon emissions from its operations fell 11 per cent – slightly above its 10 per cent target. This was achieved as the company grew its sales 23.1 per cent over the same five year period.
Tetra Pak also gave an update on other environmental indicators. It said that in 2010, 40 per cent of the company’s paperboard supply was certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). And some 30bn used cartons were recycled globally last year – since 2002 that figure has increased by around one billion a year.
Tetra Pak CEO Dennis Jönsson made the link between these environmental figures and the financial performance of the business.
In a statement, Jönsson said: “As our results show today, by setting and meeting ambitious environmental targets we strengthen competitiveness, both for Tetra Pak and for our customers.”