The Future of Fibre-based Foodservice Packaging to 2029

• 2 trillion units of packaging were used in the foodservice market globally in 2023, worth an estimated $50 billion
• The value of the fibre-based materials used in this market is $25 billion in 2023, with a forecast growth rate to 2029 of 8% CAGR

After a slow recovery, there has been a rebound in the foodservice market and growth in packaging consumption has followed suit. Demand is further stimulated by the introduction of new packs and new technologies, such as dry moulded and dry formed fibre materials, which are proving to be successful substitutes for a variety of rigid plastic pack formats.

The foodservice industry provides food and beverage services for commercial purposes, including dining establishments, coffee shops, bars, and catering companies. Products in this industry range from cooking devices to cleaning supplies and packaging. Food packaging plays a crucial role in preserving and protecting food during storage and transportation while complying with food safety and hygiene standards, and the industry is moving towards sustainable products that are eco-friendly and can be disposed of responsibly.

Key questions

• How packaging producers are meeting demand for a more sustainable alternative to plastics
• How the regulatory landscape will impact the market for foodservice packaging applications over the next five years
• What developments are being made in functional barrier coatings and how these are driving diversification in foodservice applications
• Who the key players are in the commercial evolution the fibre-based foodservice packaging industry.

This report benefits

• Paper, pulp and paperboard producers
• Packaging converters and manufacturers
• Retailers and brand owners

About the author

Stephen Harrod spent 11 years building a market research company in South Africa, focused on the paper and packaging industry in that country, following which he spent six years in the paper industry with Mondi and JAC Labels before relocating to the UK. He has been authoring reports for Smithers since 2006, with a focus on global paper and packaging markets.

Executive summary 

• Overview 
• Key driving forces 
  • Environmental aspects 
    • Recycling & Sustainability 
    • Re-usable packaging 
    • Circularity by design 
  • New packaging design developments 
  • Marketing trends 
  • Geopolitical tensions
  • Regulations and legislation 
  • Competing materials 
• Technology advances 
  • Material trends 
  • Developments in barrier coatings 
    • Water- and solvent-based, and solid coatings and laminations 
    • Advances in biopolymers and fossil-free coatings, such as seaweed-based materials 
    • Products for direct contact with foodstuffs and liquids 
  • Recycling 
  • Future technologies 
    • Moulded fibre 
  • Raw materials 
  • Coatings 
• End uses and geographies 
• Future prospects

Introduction and methodology 

• Introduction 
• Objectives 
• Scope 
• Methodology 
• Definitions 

The global fibre-based foodservice packaging market 

• Introduction 
• Market overview 
  • Production 
  • Major producers 

Key drivers and trends, 2024–29 

• Macro-economic influences 
  • Gross Domestic Product (GDP) 
  • Urbanisation 
  • Population 
  • Geopolitical tensions 
• Environmental aspects 
  • Recycling and sustainability 
  • Reusable packaging 
  • Circularity by design 
• New packaging design developments 
• Marketing trends 
  • Delivery services 
  • Subscription services, apps 
  • Consumer awareness 
  • Use of PCR material 
• Regulations and legislation 
• Competing materials 

Technology developments, 2024–29 

• Material trends 
• Developments in barrier coatings 
  • Water- and solvent-based, and solid coatings and laminations 
  • Advances in biopolymers and fossil-free coatings, such as seaweed-based materials 
  • Products for direct contact with foodstuffs and liquids 
  • Recycling 
• Future technologies 
  • Moulded fibre 

Market sizes and forecasts by end-use application, 2019–29 

• Introduction 
• End-use markets and applications 
• Overview 
• Food containers 
• Drink containers 
• Takeaway 
• Eat-in 

Geographic markets, 2019–29 

• Introduction 
• Global rankings 
  • Volume 
  • Value 
  • Growth 
  • Volume per capita 
• Overview 
• Americas 
  • North America 
    • United States 
    • Canada 
    • Mexico 
  • South & Central America 
    • Brazil 
    • Other South & Central American countries 
• EMEA 
  • Western Europe 
    • France 
    • Germany 
    • Italy 
    • Spain 
    • United Kingdom 
    • Other Western European countries 
  • Eastern Europe 
    • Poland 
    • Russia 
    • Other Eastern European countries 
  • Middle East 
    • Turkiye 
    • Other Middle Eastern countries 
  • Africa 
• Asia-Pacific 
  • Asia 
    • China 
    • India 
    • Japan 
    • Other Asian countries 
  • Australasia 

Commercial evolution of the fibre-based foodservice packaging industry 

• International Paper 
• Smurfit Kappa Group 
• WestRock 
• Stora Enso 
• DS Smith 
• Huhtamaki 
• MM Packaging and Moulded Pulp 
• Mondi 
• Billerud 
• Hartmann 
• Pactiv Evergreen 
• Dart 
• Sabert 
• OmniPac 
• PulPac 
• Yangi 

List of Figures

• Production of fibre-based foodservice packaging materials, 2023, ‘000 tonnes
• Historic and forecast production of fibre-based foodservice packaging materials, 2018–29, ‘000 tonnes
• End-use markets for fibre-based foodservice packaging materials, 2023, ‘000 tonnes
• Forecast growth in demand for fibre-based foodservice packaging by end use market, 2023–28, CAGR%
• Demand for fibre-based foodservice packaging materials by country, 2023, ‘000 tonnes
• Forecast growth in demand for fibre-based foodservice packaging by country, 2023–28, CAGR%
• Production of fibre-based foodservice packaging materials, 2019, ‘000 tonnes
• Historic and forecast production of fibre-based foodservice packaging materials, 2019–29, ‘000 tonnes
• Matrix Pack cup lids
• Celebration Packaging’s PFAS free packs
• Huhtamaki’s Sundae Cup and Lid for McDonald’s

List of Tables

• Production volume of fibre-based foodservice packaging by region and country, 2018–28, ‘000 tonnes and billion units
• Production value of fibre-based foodservice packaging by region and country, 2018–28, $ million
• Major producers of fibre-based foodservice packaging, estimated market shares 2023
• Historic and forecast real growth in GDP, 2018–28, %AGR
• Urbanisation, % of population, selected countries, 2018–28
• Global population, 2018–28, millions
• Current and forecast volume consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging by end-use sector, 2018–28, ‘000 tonnes and billion units
• Current and forecast value consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging by end-use sector, 2018–28, $ million
• Incremental consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging by end-use sector, 2023–28
• Current and forecast volume consumption of moulded fibre packaging for Food containers by region and country, 2018–28, ‘000 tonnes
• Current and forecast value consumption of moulded fibre packaging for Food containers by region and country, 2018–28, $ million
• Incremental consumption of moulded fibre packaging for Food containers by region and country, 2023–28
• Current and forecast volume consumption of moulded fibre packaging for Drink containers by region and country, 2018–28, ‘000 tonnes
• Current and forecast value consumption of moulded fibre packaging for Drink containers by region and country, 2018–28, $ million
• Current and forecast volume consumption of moulded fibre packaging for
• Incremental consumption of moulded fibre packaging for Drink containers by region and country, 2023–28
• Global ranking of countries by Volume and Value of fibre-based foodservice packaging consumed, 2023
• Global ranking of countries by Growth of fibre-based foodservice packaging consumption, CAGR% 2024–29
• Global ranking of countries by Volume per capita of fibre-based foodservice packaging consumption, 2023
• Current and forecast volume consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging by region and country, 2019–29, ‘000 tonnes
• Current and forecast value consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging by region and country, 2019–29, $ million
• Current and forecast value consumption of moulded fibre packaging by region and country, 2019–29, billion units
• Incremental consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging by region and country, 2024–29
• Current and forecast volume consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in North America, 2019–29, ‘000 tonnes
• Current and forecast value consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in North America, 2019–29, $ million
• Current and forecast volume consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in North America, 2019–29, billion units
• Incremental consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in North America, 2024–29
• Key market indicators for the US, 2024–29
• Current and forecast volume consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in US, 2019–29, ‘000 tonnes
• Current and forecast value consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in US, 2019–29, $ million
• Current and forecast volume consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in US, 2019–29, billion units
• Incremental consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in US, 2024–29
• Key market indicators for Canada, 2024–29
• Current and forecast volume consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in Canada, 2019–29, ‘000 tonnes
• Current and forecast value consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in Canada, 2019–29, $ million
• Current and forecast volume consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in Canada, 2019–29, billion units
• Incremental consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in Canada, 2024–29
• Key market indicators for Mexico, 2024–29
• Current and forecast volume consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in Mexico, 2019–29, ‘000 tonnes
• Current and forecast value consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in Mexico, 2019–29, $ million
• Current and forecast volume consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in Mexico, 2019–29, billion units
• Incremental consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in Mexico, 2024–29
• Current and forecast volume consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in South & Central America, 2019–29, ‘000 tonnes
• Current and forecast value consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in South & Central America, 2019–29, $ million
• Current and forecast volume consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in South & Central America, 2019–29, billion units
• Incremental consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in South & Central America, 2024–29
• Key market indicators for Brazil, 2024–29
• Current and forecast volume consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in Brazil, 2019–29, ‘000 tonnes
• Current and forecast value consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in Brazil, 2019–29, $ million
• Current and forecast volume consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in Brazil, 2019–29, billion units
• Incremental consumption of fibre-based foodservice packaging in Brazil, 2024–29