- In 2025, flexible packaging materials will reach $290.95 billion
- Flexible packaging consumption volume is forecast to grow at an annual rate of 4.6% to 2030.
The flexible packaging industry has benefited from the drive to replace traditional materials with lightweight, cost-effective and high-performance materials in various markets. Increasing environmental concerns and regulatory pressures are driving brand owners to consider alternative solutions for difficult-to-recycle, flexible plastic packaging; including fibre-based packaging and more recyclable, mono-material, flexible plastic packaging.
This report defines flexible packaging as the manufacture, supply and conversion of those materials or substrates (plastics, paper and aluminium foil) that can be used, either separately or in combination, for primary retail food packaging and for non-food applications (such as beverages, pet food, medical items, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, toiletries and household care) and for other non-food packaging (such as tobacco).
Key Questions
- How are brand owners approaching potential transitions from plastic- to paper-based packaging solutions?
- What current sustainability trends are implicating flexible packaging use?
- How are developing economies responding to flexible packaging trends compared to advanced economies?
- Why has flexible packaging benefited from replacing traditional packaging formats?
This report is essential to
- Packaging raw material suppliers
- Packaging converters and manufacturers
- Retailers and brand owners
CONTENTS
Executive summary
Introduction and methodology
Introduction
Objectives
Scope
Material types
Packaging types
End use markets
Geographic markets
Definition
Data
Methodology
Glossary of terms
List of abbreviations
Exchange rates
Industry structure, supply chains and key market drivers and trends
Flexible packaging industry structure
Competitive landscape
Flexible packaging converters
Flexible packaging substrate suppliers
Flexible packaging industry supply chains
Flexible plastic packaging industry supply chain
Flexible paper packaging industry supply chain
Flexible foil packaging industry supply chain
Key market drivers and trends
Overview
Economic, social and demographic influences on packaging demand
Sustainable and eco-friendly packaging
Flexible packaging challenging rigid packaging
Flexible plastic packaging challenged by paper-based solutions
Rising penetration of modern retailing
Packaging regulation
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)
European plastic taxation systems
Flexible packaging recycling
Technological innovations
Introduction
Recyclable mono-material packaging film solutions
Mono-material flexible packaging product developments
Barrier solutions for mono-material flexible plastic packaging
Smart packaging
Artificial intelligence in the plastics industry
Chemical recycling
Bio-based flexible plastic packaging solutions
Flexible packaging plastics with PCR content
Barrier developments for paper-based packaging
Flexible packaging by sector and material
Overview
Plastics
Plastic bags and pouches
Stand-up pouches
Doyen (also called round bottom or Doypack)
K-style bottom gusset pouches
Corner, plough or folded bottom
Other consumer flexible plastic packaging products
Tray lidding film
Forming webs
Wrapping film
Blister pack base webs
Packaging foils
Foil laminates
Foil lidding
Blister packaging
Foil bags, sachets and pouches
Flexible paper packaging
Flexible packaging by substrate
Overview
Plastics
Biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP)
Cast polypropylene (CPP)
Biaxially oriented polyamide (BOPA, OPA)
Biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BOPET)
Polyethylene (PE)
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
Ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH)
Regenerated cellulose film (RCF)
Aluminium foil
Paper
Flexible packaging by end-use sector
Overview
Fruit and vegetables
Fresh meat, fish and poultry
Frozen food
Chilled food
Chilled ready meals (retort food)
Dried food
Savoury snack food
Confectionery
Baked goods
Cheese/dairy products
Hot beverages
Other (human) food
Beverages
Pet food
Cosmetics and toiletries
Pharmaceuticals and medical
Tobacco
Other non-food markets
Flexible packaging by geographic region
Overview
Western Europe
France
Germany
Italy
Spain
UK
Other Western Europe
Eastern Europe
Poland
Russia
Other Eastern Europe
North America
US
Other North America
South & Central America
Brazil
Other South & Central America
Asia-Pacific
China
India
Japan
Other Asia-Pacific
Middle East & Africa
Turkey
Other Middle East & Africa
FIGURES
Global consumer and industrial flexible packaging market value by material, 2020, 2025 and 2030 ($ million)
Global consumer flexible packaging: percentage share of consumption by material, 2025
Global flexible packaging: percentage share of consumption by end use, 2025
Global flexible packaging: percentage share of consumption by geographic region, 2025
European average annual flexible packaging prices, 2020–25 (€/tonne)
Flexible plastic packaging industry supply chain
The flexible plastic packaging industry supply chain
Flexible paper packaging industry supply chain
Aluminium foil packaging industry supply chain
TABLES
Global flexible packaging industry; summary of selected mergers and acquisitions, 2020–25
Global flexible packaging market; leading flexible packaging converters, 2025
Global flexible packaging substrate suppliers: leading substrate suppliers, 2025
Flexible packaging, summary of key market drivers and trends to 2030
GDP growth rates by region, percentage change per annum, 2020–25 and annual average growth rate forecast for 2026–30
PPWR: mandatory recyclate use quotas in accordance with Article 7
Flexible packaging: summary of technology developments to 2030
Summary of mono-material packaging film developments 2020–25
Mono-material plastic packaging product developments, 2020–25
Barrier solutions; sustainable barrier solutions for mono-material flexible plastic packaging, 2020–25
Chemical recycling: a summary of selected projects, 2025
Barrier developments for paper-based packaging products, 2025
Global flexible packaging consumption, by sector and, by material, 2020–30 ($ million)
Flexible plastic packaging products: sales, by region, 2020–30 ($ million)
Flexible packaging foils: sales, by region, 2020–30 ($ million)
Flexible paper packaging: sales, by region, 2020–30 ($ million)
Global consumer flexible packaging consumption, by substrate, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
For each substrate:
Consumer flexible packaging consumption, by region, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
List of substrates:
Plastics
BOPP
Cast PP
BOPA/OPA
NOPET
PE
PVC
EVOH
RCF
Aluminium foil
Paper
Typical high barrier aluminium foil-based structures
Global consumer flexible packaging consumption, by end-use sector, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
For each end-use sector:
Consumer flexible packaging consumption, by region, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
List of end-use sectors:
Fruit and vegetables
Fresh meat, fish and poulty
Frozen food
Chilled food
Chilled ready meals
Dried food
Savoury snack food
Confectionery
Baked goods
Cheese/dairy products
Hot beverages
Other (human) food
Beverages
Pet food
Cosmetisc and toiletries
Pharmaceuticals and medical
Tobacco
Other non-food markets
Global consumer flexible packaging consumption, by region, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
Global consumer and industrial flexible packaging market value, by region, 2020–30 ($ million)
Global flexible packaging market value by sector and material, 2020–30 ($ million)
Western Europe: economic and demographic data, 2020–2030
Western Europe: consumer flexible packaging consumption, by national market, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
Western Europe: flexible packaging sales, by national market, sector and material, 2020–30 ($ million)
Western Europe: consumer flexible packaging consumption by end-use sector and substrate, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
For each country:
Economic and demographic data, 2020–2030
Flexible packaging sales by sector and material, 2020–30 ($ million)
Consumer flexible packaging consumption by substrate, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
Consumer flexible packaging consumption by end-use sector, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
List of countries:
France
Germany
Italy
Spain
UK
Other Western Europe
Eastern Europe: economic and demographic data, 2020–2030
Eastern Europe: consumer flexible packaging consumption, by national market, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
Eastern Europe: flexible packaging sales, by national market, sector and material, 2020–30 ($ million)
Eastern Europe: consumer flexible packaging consumption by end-use sector and substrate, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
For each country:
Economic and demographic data, 2020–2030
Flexible packaging sales by sector and material, 2020–30 ($ million)
Consumer flexible packaging consumption by substrate, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
Consumer flexible packaging consumption by end-use sector, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
List of countries:
Polan
Russia
Other Eastern Europe
North America: economic and demographic data, 2020–2030
North America: consumer flexible packaging consumption, by national market, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
North America: flexible packaging sales, by national market, sector and material, 2020–30 ($ million)
North America: consumer flexible packaging consumption by end-use sector and substrate, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
For each country:
Economic and demographic data, 2020–2030
Flexible packaging sales by sector and material, 2020–30 ($ million)
Consumer flexible packaging consumption by substrate, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
Consumer flexible packaging consumption by end-use sector, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
List of countries:
US
Other North America
South & Central America: economic and demographic data, 2020–2030
South & Central America: consumer flexible packaging consumption, by national market, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
South & Central America: flexible packaging sales, by national market, sector and material, 2020–30 ($ million)
South & Central America: consumer flexible packaging consumption by end-use sector and substrate, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
For each country:
Economic and demographic data, 2020–2030
Flexible packaging sales by sector and material, 2020–30 ($ million)
Consumer flexible packaging consumption by substrate, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
Consumer flexible packaging consumption by end-use sector, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
List of countries:
Brazil
Other South & Central America
Asia-Pacific: economic and demographic data, 2020–2030
Asia-Pacific: consumer flexible packaging consumption, by national market, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
Asia-Pacific: flexible packaging sales, by national market, sector and material, 2020–30 ($ million)
Asia-Pacific: consumer flexible packaging consumption by end-use sector and substrate, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
For each country:
Economic and demographic data, 2020–2030
Flexible packaging sales by sector and material, 2020–30 ($ million)
Consumer flexible packaging consumption by substrate, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
Consumer flexible packaging consumption by end-use sector, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
List of countries:
China
India
Japan
Other Asia-Pacific
Middle East & Africa: economic and demographic data, 2020–2030
Middle East & Africa: consumer flexible packaging consumption, by national market, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
Middle East & Africa: flexible packaging sales, by national market, sector and material, 2020–30 ($ million)
Middle East & Africa: consumer flexible packaging consumption by end-use sector and substrate, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
For each country:
Economic and demographic data, 2020–2030
Flexible packaging sales by sector and material, 2020–30 ($ million)
Consumer flexible packaging consumption by substrate, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
Consumer flexible packaging consumption by end-use sector, 2020–30 (’000 tonnes)
List of countries:
Turkey
Other Middle East & Africa
