$44.8 billion is the value of the printed label market in 2024, with a volume of 1.34 billion A4 equivalents
4.6% CAGR is the value growth rate to 2029; in volume terms the market will grow at 4.4% CAGR.
In 2023, the market experienced a contraction, with demand for label stock falling sharply, though volumes of printed labels were less affected. The underlying reasons for this are complex but primarily relate to the relaxation of inventory built up in the supply chain in 2021 and 2022. By 2024, volumes are beginning to return to normal levels, and it is projected that steady growth will resume over the five years leading to 2029.
Printed labels and sleeves are produced from a range of paper and polymeric materials, and used to identify the contents of packaging, bottles, and cans. They can also provide brand identification and differentiation for the product manufacturers. This report examines the global markets for printed labels, with market data being presented in converter value and printed volume terms as the equivalent of A4 prints.
Key Questions:
Which areas of growth can the industry expect to see over the next five years?
Where are the areas of the market under threat?
When will the industry fully recover from the impact of global economic events?
What impact are environmental regulations, such as the PPWR, having on the printed labels industry?
How is the global drive for sustainability driving demand for pressure-sensitive labels and sleeves?
This report benefits:
Printer manufacturers
Ink and label substrate suppliers
Packaging converters and print service providers
Table of Contents
Executive summary
Introduction and methodology
Introduction
Objective and scope
Methodology
Definitions
Label format
Print process
Data
Market trends and drivers for label printing
Introduction
World economic outlook
Total population as of 1 July (million)
Employment
Spending habits
Healthcare
Globalisation of brand identities
Changes to packaging materials and formats
Glass bottle, metal can, or plastic bottle?
Rigid plastic to flexible packaging
Digital printing and displacement of analogue processes
Leaner print service provider business models
Convenience
Legislative influences and their impact on labels
Anti-counterfeiting and traceability
Smart and Intelligent Labels
Cutting-edge technology developments
Introduction
Sustainability, recycling and reduced environmental impact
Lightweighting of label formats
Paper
Plastic film
Recyclability - desire for removability (floating label material in material recovery phase), purity of PET recyclate
Arrival of bio-plastic label materials
Paper
PLA (polylactic acid)
Polyolefin
PET
Greater automation in label printing
Digital printing
Electrophotography
Inkjet
Inkjet head developments
Inks and Toners
Premiumisation of brands via packaging
New substrates
Paper
Clear film
Metallised labels
New finishing systems/embellishment
Anti-counterfeiting solutions
Overt security features
Covert security features
Tamper evident labelling
Availability of print systems for sleeve formats
Label format markets
Overview
Wet glue labels
Wet glue label print processes
Wet glue label geographic markets
Pressure-sensitive labels
Pressure sensitive label geographic markets
Multi-part tracking labels
Multi-part tracking label print processes
Multi-part tracking label geographic markets
In-mould labels
In-mould label print processes
In-mould label geographic markets
Sleeves
Sleeves print processes
Sleeves geographic markets
Label printing process markets
Overview
Analogue
Offset lithography
Sheetfed litho
Heatset web offset litho
Coldset (web) litho
Gravure
Label type
Geographic markets
Flexography
Label type
Geographic markets
Screen
Label type
Geographic markets
Letterpress
Label type
Geographic markets
Digital
Electrophotography
Label type
Geographic markets
Inkjet
Label type
Geographic markets
Label printing end-use markets
Overview
Food
Beverage
Healthcare
Cosmetics
Other consumer goods
Industrial
Multi-part tracking labels
Other labels
Label printing geographic markets
Overview
Western Europe
France
Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Spain
UK
Other Western Europe
North America
Canada
US
Asia
China
India
Japan
South Korea
Other Asia
Latin America
Brazil
Mexico
Other Latin America
Eastern Europe
Poland
Russia
Other Eastern Europe
Middle East
Turkey
Other Middle East
Africa
Australasia
Figures
Printed label output by region, 2022 (% share by value)
Printed label output by region, 2022 (% prints)
Changes in regional shares, 2019-29
Changes in shares of label formats, 2019-29
Evolution of digital print shares, 2019-29 (%)
Global printed label output by process type, 2022 (% share by value)
Global printed label output by process type, 2022 (% prints)
Global label printing output by end-use market, 2022 (% share by value)
Global label printing output by end-use market, 2022 (% prints)
In-mould labelling process
Offset lithography print process
Gravure printing process
Flexographic printing process
Electrophotographic printing process
Piezo continuous inkjet process
US Nutritional Facts label
Geographic share by volume (2021)
Geographic share by volume (2026)
Geographic share by value (2021)
Geographic share by value (2026)
Tables
GDP growth trends, 2019-29
Timeline for the development of label technology, 2021-2026
Global label printing output by label format, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
For each label format:
Global printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Printing output by geographic market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
List of label formats:
Wet glue labels
Pressure-sensitive labels
Multi-part tracking labels
In-mould labels
Sleeves
Evolution of share of analogue vs digital from 2016 to 2026
Global label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
For each print process:
Printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Printing output by geographic market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
List of print processes:
Sheetfed litho
Heatset (web) litho
Coldset (web) litho
Gravure
Flexography
Screen
Letterpress
Electrophotography
Inkjet
Global label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Food: printing output by geographic market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Beverage: printing output by geographic market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Healthcare: printing output by geographic market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Cosmetics: printing output by geographic market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Other consumer goods: printing output by geographic market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Industrial: printing output by geographic market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Logistics: printing output by geographic market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Other labels: printing output by geographic market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Label printing output by region, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Western Europe: economic and demographic data, 2019-29
Western Europe: label printing output by national market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Western Europe: label printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Western Europe: label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Western Europe: label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
For each country:
Economic and demographic data, 2019-29
Label printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
List of countries:
France
Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Spain
UK
Other Western Europe
North America: economic and demographic data, 2019-29
North America: label printing output by national market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
North America: label printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
North America: label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
North America: label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
For each country:
Economic and demographic data, 2019-29
Label printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
List of countries:
Canada
US
Asia: economic and demographic data, 2019-29
Asia: label printing output by national market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Asia: label printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Asia: label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Asia: label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
For each country:
Economic and demographic data, 2019-29
Label printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
List of countries:
China
India
Japan
South Korea
Other Asia
Latin America: economic and demographic data, 2019-29
Latin America: label printing output by national market, 2019-29 ($ million ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Latin America: label printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Latin America: label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Latin America: label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
For each country:
Economic and demographic data, 2019-29
Label printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million million A4 prints or equivalent)
Label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
List of countries:
Poland Russia
Other Eastern Europe
Middle East: economic and demographic data, 2019-29
Middle East: label printing output by national market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Middle East: label printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Middle East: label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Middle East: label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
For each country:
Economic and demographic data, 2019-29
Label printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
List of countries:
Turkey
Other Middle East
Africa: economic and demographic data, 2019-29
Africa: label printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Africa: label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Africa: label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Australasia: economic and demographic data, 2019-29
Australasia: label printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Australasia: label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Australasia: label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
List of countries:
Brazil
Mexico
Other Latin America
Eastern Europe: economic and demographic data, 2019-29
Eastern Europe: label printing output by national market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Eastern Europe: label printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Eastern Europe: label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Eastern Europe: label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
For each country:
Economic and demographic data, 2019-29
Label printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent) label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Middle East: label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Middle East: label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
For each country:
Economic and demographic data, 2019-29
Label printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
List of countries:
Turkey
Other Middle East
Africa: economic and demographic data, 2019-29
Africa: label printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Africa: label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Africa: label printing output by enduse market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Australasia: economic and demographic data, 2019-29
Australasia: label printing output by label type, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Australasia: label printing output by print process, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)
Australasia: label printing output by end-use market, 2019-29 ($ million and million A4 prints or equivalent)