Poland remains Europe’s top producer of candles and grave lights
Poland continues to be the largest producer of candles and grave lights in Europe, with exports last year reaching around EUR 700 million, according to Lukasz Kuchta, head of the Polish Association of Candle and Grave Light Manufacturers.
Kuchta said the industry is dominated by family-owned companies, which account for about 90 percent of the market, and that Polish products are exported mainly to Germany, France, Italy, the Nordic countries and Central Europe. He added that Polish manufacturers are valued for their quality, reliability and flexibility.
He also said that Polish consumers are increasingly choosing higher-quality, often glass-based grave lights made from recycled materials, while plastic versions are losing popularity due to environmental awareness and waste regulations.
Kuchta also pointed to the growing presence of LED grave lights of Asian origin, which now represent about 14 percent of the Polish market. "These products are difficult to compete with, as many are imported directly from China," he said.
The association he leads was founded in 2001 and represents manufacturers and cooperating firms in the paraffin products industry.
In Poland, November 1 marks All Saints' Day, a public holiday to commemorate the dead. During that time, Polish families visit graveyards in order to pay their respects to departed relatives and friends, and as per custom, place lit candles by their gravestones. (PAP)
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