Key facts:
- 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)
- Europe: Key Facts
- Europe: packaging consumption by country, 2023-50 (2022 constant prices & exchange rates)
- United Kingdom: key facts
- United Kingdom: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- United Kingdom: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- France: key facts
- France: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- France: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Germany: key facts
- Germany: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Germany: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Italy: key facts
- Italy: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Italy: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Spain: key facts
- Spain: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Spain: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Other Europe: key facts
- Other Europe: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Other Europe: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- North America: Key Facts
- North America: packaging consumption, by country, 2023-50 ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
- US: key facts
- US: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- US: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Canada: key facts
- Canada: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Canada: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Mexico: key facts
- Mexico: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Mexico: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- South and Central America: key facts
- South and Central America: packaging consumption, by country, 2023-50 ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
- Brazil: key facts
- Brazil: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Brazil: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- All other South & Central America: key facts
- Other South and Central America: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Other South and Central America: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Asia: key facts
- Asia: packaging consumption, by country, 2023-50 ($ million, 2022 constant prices and exchange rates)
- India: key facts
- India: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- India: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- China: key facts
- China: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- China: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Japan: key facts
- Japan: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Japan: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Thailand: key facts
- Thailand: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Thailand: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Cambodia: key facts
- Cambodia: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Cambodia: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Vietnam: key facts
- Vietnam: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Vietnam: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Malaysia: key facts
- Malaysia: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Malaysia: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Indonesia: key facts
- Indonesia: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Indonesia: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- All other Asia: key facts
- Other Asia: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Other Asia: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Middle East: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Middle East: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Africa: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Africa: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Australasia: Key Facts
- Australasia: forecast packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)
- Australasia: forecast packaging consumption, by type, 2023-2050 ($ million, constant 2022 prices and exchange rates)