Flexible Plastic Packaging Market Growth Drivers and Challenges:
Growth Drivers
- Cost-Effectiveness and Longer Product Shelf Life - Cost-efficiency and improved product shelf-life has driven the market for large-scale flexible plastic packaging. Owing to busy lifestyles, the market for convenient products has improved, leading to increased demand for flexible packaging. Flexible plastic packaging requires less energy as well as less money spent on the packaging; moreover, it uses 35 percent less retail shelf space, making it cost-effective compared to other packaging types. As per the Flexible Packaging Association statistics, in comparison to the production of rigid clamshell containers, 780 000 flexible pouches use 87% less coal, 74% less natural gas, and 64% less crude oil.
- Increasing Focus on Sustainable Food Production – Sustainable food packaging methods should lead to a total saving of almost 10% of Greenhouse gases, or 370 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent.
- Rising Demand from the Pharmaceutical Industry – As per flexible packaging association statistics, 9% of flexible plastic packaging includes pharmaceutical and medical uses.
- Increasing Adoption of Global Food Products and Beverages - According to PMMI (The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies) statistics, the packaging of snack foods is most frequently made of flexible plastic, although beverages are generally packaged in PET bottles. Both types of packaging are anticipated to increase by tens of billions of units by 2023.
Challenges
- Lacking Recycling Solutions in the System - The significant problem facing the plastics recycling industry is the efficient recycling of mixed plastic trash. By extending the post-consumer collection of plastic packaging to include a wider range of materials and pack types, it is possible to recycle a bigger share of the plastic waste stream. Strong potential exists for product design for recycling to support such recycling efforts. According to UK research, between 21 and 40% of the packaging in a typical shopping basket is not possibly be recycled even if it is removed.
- Durability Issues Related to Flexing and Abrasion
- Lack of Awareness about the Benefits of Using Flexible Packaging Products
Flexible Plastic Packaging Market Size and Forecast:
|
Base Year |
2024 |
|
Forecast Year |
2025-2034 |
|
CAGR |
4.5% |
|
Base Year Market Size (2024) |
USD 202.91 billion |
|
Forecast Year Market Size (2034) |
USD 315.11 billion |
|
Regional Scope |
|
Browse key industry insights with market data tables & charts from the report:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
In the year 2025, the industry size of flexible plastic packaging is estimated at USD 210.67 billion.
Flexible Plastic Packaging Market size was over USD 202.91 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to cross USD 315.11 billion by 2034, growing at more than 4.5% CAGR during the forecast period i.e., between 2025-2034.
Asia Pacific is expected to dominate largest industry share by 2034.
The key market players include Syntegon Technology, Constantia Flexibles Group, Sealed Air Corporation, Sonoco Products Company, Mondi Group, Huhtamaki Group, ProAmpac, Berry Plastics Group, Inc., Amcor Limited.
