Sustainable Packaging Market - Forecast(2023 - 2028)

The Sustainable packaging market is expected to reach $420bn by 2026 with a CAGR of 7.2% during 2021-2026.Globally, the demand for sustainable packaging is increasingly carried out in the healthcare and personal care sector since sustainable packaging involves the use of recyclable materials that contribute to environmental stability and contribute to the impact of ecological footprint. Also, the perception of sustainable packaging is quickly growing in the food and beverage industry thereby driving the market. Furthermore, rising government initiatives towards sustainable packaging is further anticipated to create new opportunities for the growth of the global sustainable packaging industry in the forecast era.

Impact of Covid-19

Due to the Covid-19 palindrome, the sustainable packaging market has been severely hit. The nationwide lockdown paused all manufacturing activities which led towards the declination in the demand and supply for sustainable packaging in the year 2020. Presently, looking forward towards the new normal condition the demand for sustainable packaging is estimated to rise from various applications over the forecast period (2021-2026).

The: “Sustainable Packaging Market Report – Forecast (2021-2026)”, by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments of the sustainable packaging market.

By Material Type: Paper (Solid Bleach Sulfate, Coated Unbleached Kraft, Recycled, and Others), Plastic (Bio-Based Plastic, Biodegradable Plastic, and Others), Metal (Steel, Aluminium, and Others), Glass (Sand, Soda Ash, and Limestone), and Others

By Layer Type: Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary

By Process: Recycled Content Packaging, Degradable Packaging, and Reusable Packaging

By Function: Active Packaging (Barrier Packaging, Modified Atmosphere Packaging, and Antimicrobial Packaging), Molded Packaging (Thick Wall Pulp Packaging, Transfer Molded Pulp Packaging, Thermoformed Pulp Packaging, and Processed Pulp Packaging), Alternate Fiber Packaging (Bamboo Fiber, Mushroom Packaging, and Other), and Others

By Application: Food & Beverage, Healthcare, Personal Care, Electronic Appliances & Home Care and Others

By Geography: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and South America

The paper segment is the largest revenue generating segment held a share of more than 30% in the market in 2020, due to increased government campaigns to educate consumers about the benefits of paper packaging and environmentally friendly products, that are expected to benefit the growth in the industry. Papers are being used for many applications in flexible packaging, including confectionery, pet food and dried food.  After many years of declining demand, paper-based flexible packaging is becoming increasingly popular with the general public as end-consumers demand more sustainable solutions to packaging. Today, consumers view paper widely as a more environmentally friendly alternative to plastic. A survey of European consumer preferences commissioned by Two Sides in 2020 concluded that 62 percent of consumers see packaging of paper and cardboard as better for the environment. In addition, 70 percent of consumers surveyed reported taking active steps to reduce their use of plastic packaging.

Primary packaging held the largest share of more than 30% in the sustainable packaging market in 2020. Primary packaging is the packaging which protects the product the most closely. Also, it can be named retail or consumer packaging. Primary packaging is used for bottle and can packaging in the beverage industry, or where the drink is stored in. Primary packaging in the pharmaceutical industry refers to the blister packages which contain a certain medication. From the past few years there is an increase in demand for more sustainable primary packaging and less demand for plastic for less waste generation. According to the study reported by CNBC, humans buy 1 million plastic bottles per minute worldwide, and recycle only 9 percent of them. On the contrary, this article by The Dieline introduces some unique and sustainable primary packaging onto the market today. Thus, increasing demand of sustainable primary packaging will further drive the market in the forecast period.

Recycle content packaging held the largest share of more than 25% in the sustainable packaging market in 2020. Consumers are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of packaging, and as part of the solution, many retailers are seeing recycled content in packaging. Whether they choose paper or plastic, businesses can opt for recycled content to reduce their dependence and impact on virgin materials. Guidelines on recycled material of plastic packaging have been established by the British Plastics Federation (BPF) along with the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) and the Food and Drink Federation (FDF). The guidelines, titled Recycled Content Used in Plastic Packaging Applications, were meant for businesses planning to use recycled plastic content in packaging for beverages, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, as well as for policy makers.

Active packaging held the largest share of more than 30% in the market in 2020 due to its wide use in the sustainable packaging market. The potential of nanotechnology is actively explored in the food packaging sector including active packaging. Thereby the transformation of active compounds from micro to nanoscale provides a new opportunity. Also, intelligent food packaging is also becoming increasingly popular due to the growing use of active packaging, which requires monitoring of the performance of active components and the overall packaging conditions, and intelligent systems that enable rapid and reliable product differentiation, traceability and other interactive features. The European Regulation (EC) No 450/2009 describes active packaging as a packaging system that communicates with the product by 'intentionally inserting components that would release or absorb substances into or from the packaged product or the food environment'.

Food & Beverage sector held the largest share of more than 35% in the sustainable packaging market in 2020 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.5% during the forecast period 2021-2026. Sustainable packaging has become a necessity in the food and drink industries. In order to remain competitive in the current market and to prosper in the future, packaging must become sustainable for food and beverage companies. Consumer desire and demand fuel food and beverage producers around the world in their research and development budgets. As the Gross Domestic Product continues to grow in countries such as India and China, food and beverage markets will expand and their packaging will be put under fire. Also, further motivating factor for food and drink producers is the consumer health. Therefore, with the growing demand for food and beverage the demand for sustainable packaging market is expected to grow in the forecast period.

North America held the largest share with 41% in sustainable packaging market in 2020, due to the growing adoption of eco-friendly products in end-user industries. U.S., Canada and Mexico are some of the countries driving the sustainable packaging market in the North America region. Corrugated boxes were the largest single-product category generated by MSW at 32.5 million tons, or 12.2 percent of total generation in 2017.Corrugated boxes also represent the largest single product of recycled paper, paperboard and packaging containers. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, out of 30.1 million tons of total paper and paperboard recycling, about 28.8 million tons of corrugated boxes have been recycled in 2017. The recycling rate was 88.4 per cent for corrugated boxes. Also, according to the World Economic Forum, Mexico City will wage war over plastic waste. Plastic bags will be gone out of the city's shops by next year. And from 2021, single-use items will be against the law, including cutlery, straws, cups, and balloons. Hence increasing initiatives by the governments in North America for biodegradable packaging and environmentally friendly products, the market demand for sustainable packaging will rise in the forecast period.

Manufacturers are worried about the impacts of packaging on the environment and make efforts to minimize, reuse and recycle. Because of the cost-efficiency, increasing energy and resin costs will make these environmentally friendly measures especially appealing. Packing healthcare faces immense sustainability challenges. Sustainable packaging also helps avoid microbial penetration as well as strength and tear resistance, and is compliant with a broad variety of sterilization techniques. This helps in both transport and storage to avoid unnecessary harm or contamination to medical equipment or medications. Also, product packaging fulfills many important functions like maintaining product quality, product dosage and dispensing, ease of use and storage, and providing essential product use and ingredient details. For instance, in October 2019, L’Oreal announced the development of the first paper-based cosmetic tube, to reduce the environmental impact and improve the footprint of packaging.

The Department for Industry, Energy & Industrial Strategy is looking to be a front runner in sustainable packaging growth. Together with states and territories and industry, the Australian Government is working to reduce the amount of plastic waste, with an increase in recycling and reducing environmental effects. This involves assisting industry in developing more sustainable technologies and recycling products to eliminate wastage and litter before they reach the environment. According to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, APCO's Strategic Plan 2017-2022 focuses the Covenant’s work on enhancing resource efficiency through sustainable packaging design, diversion of packaging from landfill through customer education and packaging labeling, and enhancement of packaging sustainability through study and information sharing through industries. According to the Government of U.K., the UK Government's Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Initiative Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund is also planning to significantly minimize plastic waste by 2025. Investing in initiatives aimed at making the UK a leader in smart and sustainable plastic packaging has grown to £60million (USD 80.51 million). Thus, further increasing government initiatives towards sustainable packaging will drive the market over the forecast period.

Fluctuation in raw material prices will hinder the overall sustainable packaging market size during the forecast period. The market pattern of raw materials with their present ups and downs is influenced mainly by supply and demand. Global economies, competitive and unpredictable, have wide consequences for industrial organizations. Fluctuations in the price levels of raw materials, unexpected challenges are destabilizing production chains and making it impossible for suppliers to stay in the black. With suppliers of certain raw materials being more difficult to obtain, fluctuations of product prices will not be merely a transient occurrence, and it is up to producers either to bear increased costs, discover new ways to reduce expenditures, or to push price changes on to consumers who are still hesitant to invest. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, shortage in the supply and demand of raw materials has been seen owing to which the price of raw materials has reached to its peak. Hence, increase in raw material prices will further create hurdles for the sustainable packaging market in the projected period.

The most popular respondents are mindful of the environmental effects of packaging, environmental conservation; recycling and the sense of duty are the primary factors for buying. Paper, glass, cardboard and in smaller proportion plastic and wood are the chosen packaging choices. The reasons why customers are not willing to spend more for green packages are the price of commodities that contribute to the low budget of the customer and a lack of knowledge. Lack of awareness of the value of sustainable packaging is the fact that it is difficult for customers to report locates product packaging content. Also, in order to buy environmentally friendly products, the consumers need to have the knowledge or be willing to seek knowledge and information. Hence, public's view of sustainability, vocabulary differences and an inconsistent approach to sustainable packaging is due to the lack of consumer awareness, which is restraining the growth of the market.

Technology launches, acquisitions, and R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in the sustainable packaging market. In 2020, the market of sustainable packaging has been consolidated by the top five players accounting for xx% of the share. Major players in the sustainable packaging market are Amcor Limited, Bemis Company, Inc., Tetra Laval International S.A., Mondi PLC, Westrock Company, BASF SE, Sonoco Products Company, Smurfit Kappa Group PLC, Sealed Air Corporation, and Huhtamaki OYJ among others.