The global packaging market is forecast to grow at a 3.9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2023 and 2028
Growth is expected to slow to 2.1% CAGR between 2028 and 2050. By 2050, the global packaging market is projected to reach $2.23 trillion
By 2050, packaging consumption per capita is expected to have grown globally, with the fastest growth rates in low and lower middle income regions. These markets have significant room for expansion as more consumers transition from minimal or informal packaging solutions to more standardized, formal packaging options. Population changes, and the difference in packaging needs, mean packaging consumption markets vary globally.
The packaging industry is constantly evolving, impacted by demographic changes, economic development and consumer demands. Low-income and high-income countries exhibit different packaging needs; for example, the drive for sustainability and premium packaging in high-income countries is not the same in lower income regions. These key trends are examined in depth, along with the effect of increases and decreases in population, as well as shifts in demographics on the consumption and development of packaging.
Key Questions
How are lifestyle changes affecting packaging needs and consumption?
What are the differences in packaging consumption across higher income and lower income countries?
What factors are expected to cause saturation in the packaging market?
How will packaging need to adapt to the needs and priorities of an aging population through to 2050?
How will global FMCG brands adapt their packaging to engage with new consumers in the fast-growing economies?
This report is essential to:
Packaging raw material suppliers
Packaging converters and manufacturers
Retailers and brand owners
Table of Contents
Executive summary
Overview
Population growth and its influence on packaging demand
Declining birth rates and aging populations
Packaging consumption per capita and regional disparities
Sustainability and technological advancements
Key trends across end-use sectors and packaging materials
Introduction and methodology
Introduction and objectives
Report scope, market segmentation and assumptions
Packaging materials
End-use sectors
Geographic markets
Data
Methodology
Glossary and definitions
Global population and demographic trends
Population trends
Demographics
Birth rate
Mortality rate
Median age
Life expectancy
Population over 50 years old (% of total population)
Packaging trends and outlook to 2050
Packaging penetration
Key trends through 2050
Packaging market outlook to 2050
Packaging materials
Flexible packaging
Board packaging
Rigid plastics packaging
Metal packaging
Glass packaging
Other packaging
End-use sectors
Food
Drinks
Healthcare
Cosmetics
Other consumer goods
Industrial / transit / other packaging markets
Europe
UK
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
France
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Germany
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Italy
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Spain
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Other European Countries
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
North America
United States
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Canada
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Mexico
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
South and Central America
Brazil
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Other South and Central America
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Asia
India
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
China
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Japan
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Thailand
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Cambodia
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Vietnam
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Malaysia
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Indonesia
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Other Asia
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Middle East
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Africa
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Australasia
End-use sectors
Packaging product sectors
Figures
Global population and packaging market trends, 2023-50 (million people and $100million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Share of packaging sales growth, by region 2023-2050
packaging sales annual growth, CAGR% 2028-2050
Global Population change by region, 2023-2050, (million people)
Global Population change by country, 2023-2050, (million people)
Birth rates by region, 2023,2050, (births per 1,000 population)
Mortality rates by region, 2023,2050, (deaths per 1,000 population)
Packaging consumption per capita by country, 2023 and 2050, ($ per person)
Growth in packaging sales per capita 2028-2050 by country (CAGR%)
Change in population by economic development group (2023-2028, 2028-2050)
Global packaging by region, 2023-2050, ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Flexible materials by region, 2023-2050, ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Board packaging by region, 2023-2050, ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Rigid plastics packaging by region, 2023-2050, ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Metal packaging by region, 2023-2050, ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Glass packaging by region, 2023-2050, ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Other packaging by region, 2023-2050, ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Food packaging by region, 2023-2050, ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Drinks packaging by region, 2023-2050, ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Healthcare packaging by region, 2023-2050, ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Cosmetics packaging by region, 2023-2050, ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Other consumer packaging by region, 2023-2050, ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Industrial, transit and other packaging by region, 2023-2050, ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Europe population and packaging market trends, 2023-50 (million people and $100million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
North America population and packaging market trends, 2023-50 (million people and $100million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
South and Central America population and packaging market trends, 2023-50 (million people and $100million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Asia population and packaging market trends, 2023-50 (million people and $100million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Tables
Packaging materials, key trends through 2050
Packaging end-use sectors, key trends through 2050
Population Forecast 2023 - 2050, million people
Population Forecast by economic development group, 2023 - 2050, million people
Birth Rates (births per 1,000 population)
Mortality rate, (deaths per 1,000 population)
Median age, years
Life expectancy, years
Population over 50 years old, % of total population
Metrics for packaging penetration: higher vs lower economically developed countries
Packaging penetration metrics for 2023, packaging market size ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates), packaging market growth (CAGR% 2023-2028) and packaging consumption per capita, ($ per million people)
Packaging consumption per capita, by economic development group, 2023-50 ($ per million people)
Packaging industry trends through 2050
Global packaging, key facts
Global packaging by country, 2023-2050 ($ million, 2022 constant prices & exchange rates)
Packaging sales by region, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
Packaging materials
Flexible materials by Country / Region, 2023-2050 ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Board packaging by Country / Region, 2023-2050 ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Rigid plastics packaging plastics by Country / Region, 2023-2050 ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Metal packaging by Country / Region, 2023-2050 ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Glass packaging by Country / Region, 2023-2050 ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Other packaging materials by Country / Region, 2023-2050 ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
End-use sectors
Food packaging by Country / Region, 2023-2050 ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Drinks packaging by Country / Region, 2023-2050 ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Healthcare packaging by Country / Region, 2023-2050 ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Cosmetics packaging by Country / Region, 2023-2050 ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Other consumer goods packaging by Country / Region, 2023-2050 ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
Industrial, transit and other packaging markets packaging by Country / Region, 2023-2050 ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)