The global plastic packaging market size is expected to reach USD 492.3 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 3.6% from 2023 to 2030. The rapid growth of food and beverages, personal care, industrial, and pharmaceutical sectors, coupled with the rising penetration of organized and e-retail across the world, is expected to fuel growth in the market.
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE), Polypropylene (PP), High-density Polyethylene (HDPE), and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) are the most widely used materials for the manufacturing of packaging products such as bottles and jars, trays & containers, wraps and films, and pouches, owing to their strong barrier properties against moisture, low cost, lightweight, and extensive functionalities. Growing demand for sustainable products is prompting manufacturers to use recycled plastic resins to make plastic packaging products.
The food and beverage industry has been accounting for the largest revenue share of the market. Globally, the changing lifestyle has led to the introduction of single-serve products that significantly contributed to the growth of plastic packaging in the past few years. Products such as trays, containers, tubs, wraps, pouches, films, and others are extensively utilized in the food and beverage industry for packing ready-to-eat meals, ready-to-eat convenient products, frozen meals, carbonated and non-carbonated beverages, and snack foods.
Plastic packaging products are transparent, lightweight, offer high aesthetic appeal along with robust barrier properties, and are less expensive. These factors are mainly attributed to the widespread penetration of the products in the food and beverages industry. Moreover, in the pharmaceutical industry, packaging products such as jars, syringes, blisters, rigid bottles, pouches, and others are used for packing liquid, semisolid, solid, and powdered products. The pharmaceutical industry in countries like China, India, Mexico, Brazil, and other developing economies is witnessing significant growth due to a higher focus on increasing the life expectancy of the population.
Furthermore, the demand for rigid plastic products is projected to be driven by their applicability and functionality in offering high protection to packaged goods and products. Plastics are long polymer chains making them durable and extraordinarily difficult to break. The rise in the demand for rigid plastic packaging from the healthcare industry to prevent contamination of medicines and from the food and beverage industry is projected to accelerate the segment growth during the forecast period.
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In terms of revenue, the flexible segment is projected to ascend at a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period on account of the growing demand for pouches and bags by food and beverage manufacturers, owing to the low cost and high sustainability of flexible packaging over rigid ones
The extrusion segment accounted for the largest revenue share of 39.0% in 2023 as the majority of the flexible products such as pouches, bags, and films are produced by extrusion technology
The food and beverage application segment led the industry and accounted for revenue share of over 51.0% in 2023. Widespread use of plastic packaging products from raw food products to final packaged single-serve food products has been mainly contributing to the higher share of the segment
The rigid segment dominated the market for plastic packaging and accounted for the largest revenue share of over 60.0% in 2023. High adoption of rigid products such as bottles and jars, trays and containers, and caps and closure by food and beverage companies is mainly attributed to a higher share of the segment in 2022
However, the flexible product segment is expected to witness the highest growth from 2024 to 2030 as the flexible products are lightweight, occupy lesser space in transportation, are significantly cheaper than rigid ones, and most importantly flexible packaging consumes less plastic material and thus presents better sustainability profile than its rigid counterpart
Asia Pacific led the plastic packaging market and accounted for revenue share of over 43.0% of the global revenue share in 2023 and is projected to expand further at the fastest CAGR from 2024 to 2030, owing to the presence of major emerging economies like China, India, Japan, and South Korea. China and India constitute one of the largest consumer bases around the world, which creates a huge demand for packaging products
The market is highly fragmented in nature with the presence of large-sized international companies as well as small- and medium-sized domestic players. Key players are focusing on acquisitions and also increasingly expanding sustainable packaging portfolios to attract end-user companies
Grand View Research has segmented the plastic packaging market on the basis of on material, product, technology, application, and region:
Plastic Packaging Material Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030))
Polyethylene (PE)
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
Polypropylene (PP)
Polystyrene (PS)
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
Bio-based plastics
Others
Plastic Packaging Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)
Rigid
Bottles & Jars
Cans
Trays & Containers
Caps & Closures
Others
Flexible
Wraps & Films
Bags
Pouches
Others
Plastic Packaging Technology Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030))
Injection Molding
Extrusion
Blow Molding
Thermoforming
Others
Plastic Packaging Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030))
Food & Beverages
Industrial Packaging
Pharmaceuticals
Personal & Household Care
Others
Plastic Packaging Regional Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)
North America
U.S.
Canada
Mexico
Europe
Germany
U.K.
France
Italy
Spain
Asia Pacific
China
India
Japan
South Korea
Australia
Southeast Asia
Central & South America
Brazil
Argentina
Middle East & Africa
Saudi Arabia
UAE
South Africa
List of Key Players in the Plastic Packaging Market
Amcor plc
Sealed Air Corporation
Coveris Holdings SA
Berry Global Inc.
Mondi
Sonoco Products Company
WINPAK LTD
CCL Industries, Inc
Constantia Flexibles
Alpha Packaging
Pactive LLC
Silgan Holdings Inc.
DS Smith Plc
Huhtamaki Oyj
Takween Advanced Industries
Transcontinental Inc.
Bischof + Klein SE & Co. KG
Uflex Ltd
American Packaging Corporation
Sigma Plastics Group
Plastipak Holdings Inc.
ES-Plastic GmbH
Pact Group
Anchor Packaging LLC
Dart Container Corporation
Novolex
Printpack Inc.
Reynolds Consumer Products Inc.
Quadpack Industries SA
Tetra Pak International SA (Tetra Laval Group)
Toppan Inc.
Plastic Packaging Technologies (PPT)
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