Pharmaceutical Contract Packaging Market Size, Share & Analysis Report by Type (Primary, Secondary, Tertiary Packaging), By Material (Plastics & Polymers, Paper & Paperboard), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2025 - 2030

Market Size & Trends

The global pharmaceutical contract packaging market size was valued at USD 17.6 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 7.1% from 2025 to 2030.  Driven by the increasing trend of outsourcing packaging operations to specialized contract packaging companies. Facing pressure to cut costs and increase operational efficiency, pharmaceutical companies find outsourcing an effective solution. By partnering with packaging suppliers, they can focus on their core activities, such as drug discovery and development, leaving behind complex packaging, including compliance with regulatory requirements and managing new packaging for outside experts.

Another key factor driving the market's growth is the demand for customized, complex packaging products such as biologics, biosimilars, and personalized medicines that require specialized packaging. For instance, biologics and injectables often require temperature-controlled, sterile, non-deformable packaging to ensure packaging stability and safety. Contract packaging suppliers have increasingly deployed the technical capabilities and resources to handle these complex packaging requirements, ensuring that pharmaceutical companies deliver quality to consumers while meeting stringent regulatory standards.

Moreover, pharmaceutical products are subject to safety regulations, such as serialization requirements for traceability and compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), ensuring that packaging adheres to the specific guidelines of regulatory bodies such as the FDA, EMA, and other regional agencies. Since packaging is critical to drug safety and counterfeit assurance, pharmaceutical companies have increasingly relied on experienced contract packagers to meet these evolving regulatory requirements and drive overall market expansion.

Type Insights

Primary packaging led segment dominating the market with the largest revenue share of 76.6% in 2024 due to the essential role primary packaging plays in safeguarding the pharmaceutical product’s integrity, safety, and compliance. Primary packaging includes direct contact materials such as blister packs, bottles, vials, and ampoules. Furthermore, primary packaging is often the first point of interaction between the drug and the consumer, making its design and functionality crucial for patient safety and product performance, thus driving the significant demand for primary packaging services in the pharmaceutical industry.

The secondary packaging segment is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period, driven by the increasing need for enhanced branding, consumer safety, and regulatory compliance. Secondary packaging, including outer packaging such as cartons, boxes, labels, and instructions, is the first defense in protecting the product during transportation. Secondary packaging plays a crucial role in serialization and traceability requirements, which are increasingly mandatory in many countries to prevent counterfeiting and ensure compliance with safety standards, providing clear product information and enhancing patient safety is growing.

Material Insights

The plastics and polymers segment contributed the largest revenue share, 41.5%, by 2024, mainly due to their versatility, cost-effectiveness, durability, ease of manufacturing, and ability to be molded into various shapes and sizes. These materials are ideal for special packaging such as bottles, blister packs, vials, and ampoules, commonly used in the pharmaceutical industry. In addition, plastics and polymers can be easily tailored to specific regulatory requirements for sterility, tamper proof, and child resistance, making them popular materials for chemical packaging.

The paper & page segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 7.65% during the forecast period, driven by increasing demand for sustainable, non-conductive packaging of the environment. With growing environmental concerns about plastic waste and sustainability, more and more companies are adopting biodegradable and recyclable materials that do not impact the environment. Paper and paper board are low-cost and versatile renewable resources, making them attractive alternatives to secondary materials.

Regional Insights

North America's pharmaceutical contract packaging market has dominated the global market and accounted for the largest revenue share of 36.0% in 2024 due to the region’s highly established pharmaceutical industry, technological advancements, and regulations. This ensures that North America is equipped with the latest technologies to meet the complex needs of a wide range of pharmaceutical packaging, including biologics, vaccines, and advanced therapies. The ability of North American packaging providers to manage these complex needs, highly skilled workers, and advanced infrastructure continues to position them as the leading global player in the medicine contract packaging market.

U.S. Pharmaceutical Contract Packaging Market Trends   

The U.S. pharmaceutical contract packaging market in North America dominated, with the largest revenue share in 2024. This is due to the country’s advanced pharmaceutical capacity and extensive and heavily regulated healthcare system. innovations in packaging. The market is also fueled by innovations in packaging technologies, such as non-tampering, child-resistant, and anti-counterfeiting, which are critical to maintaining chemical safety and regulatory compliance, driving the market Demand for packaging solutions

Asia Pacific Pharmaceutical Contract Packaging Market Trends

Asia Pacific pharmaceutical contract packaging market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.74% over the forecast period, driven by rapidly advanced technologies, growing healthcare demand, and increasing outsourcing of services in the Asian region. Asia Pacific contract packaging services offer competitive pricing, advanced technology and large-scale manufacturing capabilities, driving the industry’s market growth. For instance, India is a global leader in the generic pharmaceutical industry and relies heavily on contract packaging services to meet domestic and international needs.

Europe Pharmaceutical Contract Packaging Market Trends

The growth of Europe's pharmaceutical contract packaging market is driven by an increasing demand for high-quality packaging solutions, stringent regulations, and the growing prevalence of personalized medicines. Europe is one of the most well-regulated pharmaceutical markets, ensuring that packaging meets safety, security, and traceability standards.

Key Pharmaceutical Contract Packaging Company Insights

Some key players in the pharmaceutical contract packaging market are Amcor plc, BALL CORPORATION, Nipro Corporation, Daito Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Pfizer CentreOne, CELESTICA INC., West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.,WestRock Company, Patheon,Baxter BioPharma Solutions, and others.

• Amcor plc is a leading player that offers a wide range of packaging materials, including flexible, durable, durable packaging materials for pharmaceuticals, biologics, and renowned for its focus on sustainability, Amcor has pioneered for eco-friendly packaging solutions, such as recyclable and biodegradable, growing for environmentally friendly packaging solutions

• Ball Corporation specializes in providing high-quality, sustainable packaging materials, including aluminum cans and bottles, ensuring conservation and compliance with regulatory standards. Ball's expertise in metal packaging allows pharmaceutical companies to benefit from durable, non-alterable, and safe packaging for a wide range of applications, including vaccines, injectables, and oral medications.

Recent Developments

• On October 24, 2024, Nipro Corporation launched innovative D2F (Direct-to-Fill) glass vials, designed to enhance the efficiency of pharmaceutical packaging processes. This new product line streamlines the filling process by allowing for direct filling from production to the vial, minimizing handling and reducing contamination risks. The D2F vials are engineered to meet stringent quality standards while providing a more sustainable solution for drug manufacturers.

• On April 20, 2024, Amcor announced the launch of its new line of sustainable packaging solutions specifically designed for the pharmaceutical industry. This innovative packaging aims to reduce environmental impact while maintaining the safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical products. The new offerings include recyclable materials and reduce plastic usage, aligning with global sustainability goals and addressing increasing consumer demand for eco-friendly options. 

Pharmaceutical Contract Packaging Market Report Scope

Global Pharmaceutical Contract Packaging Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and analyzes the latest industry trends in each sub-segment from 2018 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global pharmaceutical contract packaging market report based on type, material, and region.

• Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

  • Primary Packaging

    • Bottles

    • Vials

    • Ampoules

    • Blister Packs

    • Others

  • Secondary Packaging

  • Tertiary Packaging

• Material Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

  • Plastics & Polymers

  • Paper & Paperboard

  • Glass

  • Aluminum Foil

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • UK

    • Germany

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

    • Sweden

    • Denmark

    • Norway

  • Asia Pacific

    • Japan

    • China

    • India

    • Thailand

    • South Korea

    • Australia

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

    • Argentina

  • Middle East and Africa (MEA)

    • South Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • UAE