This report assesses the global and regional markets for adhesives used in packaging materials and products, and analyses the key external and internal market drivers to 2030.
Key facts:
The global market for packaging and label adhesives in 2025 is 7.2 million tonnes, worth $21.6 billion
Over the next five years this market is forecast to grow by 3.5% CAGR in value terms, reaching $25.7 billion by 2030.
Packaging is the largest end-use application within the global adhesive industry with around 40% share of total adhesive consumption. Packaging adhesives are used for a variety of packaging formats; from smaller primary packaging for individual items, to the more robust secondary packages constructed from corrugated board that are used to consolidate and protect smaller packages. Packaging adhesives are also used to affix product and supply chain labels.
Definition:
This report assesses the global and regional markets for adhesives used in packaging materials and products. It primarily includes adhesives which are used for package construction (to secure seams and closures); for securing additional components such as labels, lidding, etc; and as laminating adhesives to produce flexible, multilayer films or foils.
Key Questions:
How will urbanisation and e-commerce trends affect demand for packaging adhesives?
What is the impact on the market of rising production and energy costs?
What are the innovations in adhesive technologies and how will they impact packaging design over the next five years?
What are the biggest challenges facing the market for packaging and label adhesives?
This report is essential to:
Raw material suppliers
Packaging converters and producers
Adhesives manufacturers
Brand owners and retailers
Table of Contents
Executive summary
Introduction and methodology
Introduction
Scope
Report objectives
Methodology
Data
Definitions
Abbreviations
Key market drivers and trends
Introduction
Adhesive industry structure
External market drivers
Economic trends
Global trade tensions
Population growth
e-Commerce
Raw material costs and availability
Regulations
Packaging waste
Extended Producer Responsibility
EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation
Regulations on adhesive raw materials
Adhesives for food packaging
Internal market drivers
Sustainable packaging
Packaging lifecycle
Raw materials
Adhesives
Plastic packaging
Biopolymers
Paper and card
Manufacturing
Transport and In-use
End of life
Packaging adhesives market by technology
Introduction
Packaging adhesive performance requirements
Packaging adhesive technologies
Waterborne adhesives
Acrylic-copolymer adhesives
VAE adhesives
PVAc adhesives
Natural-based adhesives
Other waterborne
New waterborne developments
Vinyl acetate monomer/ethylene
Acrylates
Solvent-borne/reactive systems
Acrylics
Synthetic elastomers
Polyurethanes
Hot melt adhesives
EVA
Polyolefins
Synthetic elastomers
Polyurethane
Polyamide
Bio-based hot melts and sustainability
Radiation-curable adhesives
Packaging adhesives market by packaging type
Introduction
Rigid packaging/labels
Corrugated board packaging
Paperboard
Cartons
Cores
Composite cans/containers
Rigid plastic container
Labels/lidding
Adhesive technologies for rigid packaging/labels
Waterborne adhesives
Hot melt
Others
Flexible packaging
Multilayer structures
Seal layers
Adhesive technologies for flexible packaging
Packaging adhesives market by end-use application
Overview
Food packaging applications
Food packaging groups
Fresh and processed meat, poultry, and fish
Fresh fruit and vegetables
Frozen and chilled food
Ready meals
Cereals
Other dried foods
Savoury snack foods
Confectionery
Bakery products
Dairy products
Tinned and preserved food
Baby food
Other foods
Pet food
Beverages
Beverage packaging groups
Bottled water
Carbonated soft drinks
Fruit juice and juice drinks
Hot beverages/other soft drinks
Alcoholic drinks
Non-food
Non-food packaging groups
Cosmetics and personal care products
Household products
Healthcare products
Other non-food products
Industrial products
Packaging adhesives market by geographical region
Overview
Regional packaging format markets
North America
Packaging formats
Adhesive technologies
Waterborne
Solvent-borne/reactive adhesives
Hot melt adhesives
Radiation-curable adhesives
End-use applications
Western Europe
Packaging formats
Adhesive technologies
Waterborne
Solvent-borne/reactive adhesives
Hot melt adhesives
Radiation-curable adhesives
End-use applications
Asia-Pacific
Packaging formats
Adhesive technologies
Waterborne
Solvent-borne/reactive adhesives
Hot melt adhesives
Radiation-curable adhesives
End-use applications
Rest of the World
Eastern Europe
South and Central America
Middle East and Africa
Figures
Real GDP growth, selected regions (Annual percent change)
Global rate of inflation from 2018 to 2028 (CPI%)
TFR (total fertility rate), globally and by region, 1950-2100
Share of urban population worldwide in 2025, by region
Growth in megacities up to 2050
Growth in global e-commerce retail sales from 2021 to 2027 ($ trillion)
Global price of energy index (2016 = 100)
Basket of Raw Materials-Index January 2020=100 vs. Selected R/M Component Prices.
Global plastic waste per annum (million tonnes)
The butterfly diagram: visualising the circular economy
Packaging lifecycle
ISCC certification logo
Bioplastic wrap based on NatureFlex for drinking chocolate
Global packaging adhesives demand by technology, share by volume, 2025 (%)
Global packaging adhesives demand by technology, share by value 2025 (%)
Global packaging/label adhesives use by category, share by volume 2025 (%)
Global packaging/label adhesives use by category, share by value 2025 (%)
Automated handling on e-commerce distribution line
Adhesive lamination process schematic
Heat sealing process for flexible packaging
Paper flexible packaging for dried foods based on LEIPAbarrier ECO
Rigid packaging adhesives demand by end-use 2025 (%)
Flexible packaging adhesives demand by end-use 2025 (%)
Global packaging adhesives demand evolution by geographic region, 2020, 2025, 2030 ('000 tonnes)
Tables
Trends in the global packaging adhesives market, 2025-30
Global population, by region, 2020-30 (millions)
The world's top 10 online marketplaces
Leading 10 e-commerce markets in the world
Global packaging adhesives use, by technology, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
Global waterborne packaging/label adhesive usage by resin type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
Global solvent-borne/reactive systems packaging/label adhesive usage by resin type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
Global hot melt packaging/label adhesive usage by resin type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
Global radiation-curable packaging/label adhesive usage by resin type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
Global packaging/label adhesives use, by category, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
Global rigid packaging/label adhesive usage by pack format ('000 tonnes, $ million)
Global rigid packaging/label adhesives use, by technology, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
Global flexible packaging adhesive usage by pack format ('000 tonnes, $ million)
Performance properties of components of flexible packaging multilayer structures
Global flexible packaging adhesives use, by technology, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
Global packaging adhesive usage by end-use application, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)