Liquid Packaging Market

Liquid Packaging Market Outlook - 2027

The global liquid packaging market was valued at $331.8 billion in 2019, and is projected to reach $463.2 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 4.5% from 2020 to 2027.

Increase in demand for packaged essentials such as food & beverages, sanitizers, liquid detergents, hand washes, and disinfectants such as Sodium Hypochlorite has resulted in the growth of liquid packaging market globally.

Liquid packaging consists of the materials and packaging formats used in the packing, transportation, and storage of liquids and semi-liquids. Proper selection of liquid packaging is essential to enable its proper transportation and long-term storage. It includes rigid packaging formats such as bottles & containers and flexible packaging formats such as films, stand-up pouches, squeezable tubes, cartons, and bag-on-box. Liquid packaging can be of a single substrate or can be multi-layered laminate as in case of liquid cartons. They are used in packing both food products as well as non-food products such as chemicals.  

The global liquid packaging market size is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period, owing to increase in demand in the food & beverage and pharmaceuticals industries. The food & beverage, cosmetics, and the pharmaceutical industries have one of the largest consumer bases globally, and these industries are also the major end users of liquid packaging. Increase in disposable income and change in lifestyles have affected the consumption patterns, leading to higher demand for packaged beverage products and other FMCG products. E-commerce platforms also cater to every consumer good that use liquid packaging. It includes personal care products, cosmetics, over-the-counter drugs, topical solutions, and household care products. Furthermore, e-commerce co-packers demand customized packaging solutions that reduce lead time. Hence, the growth of the FMCG (Fast-moving consumer goods) industry will boost the demand for liquid packaging during the forecast period. Furthermore, advantages of flexible liquid packaging such as convenient and easy-to-use packaging, ability to maintain freshness and enhance the shelf life of food, reduced packaging cost of food products, eliminate material wastage, and facilitate customization of packages further boost the liquid packaging market growth. New packaging products can be prototyped within a short time. In addition, high demand for lightweight packaging products significantly fuels the growth of the liquid packaging market. Several manufacturers have started using lightweight packaging products to address cost-related concerns across the value chain. Moreover, manufacturers are inclined toward recyclable polymers as alternatives to traditional petroleum-based polymers. Therefore, rise in concerns regarding disposal of plastic packaging products and stringent government regulations regarding plastic packaging products are expected to restrain the global market growth. 

Shifting toward renewable and innovative packaging solutions is expected to provide growth opportunities for the global liquid packaging market. For instance, in 2019, cosmetic products manufacturer L'Oréal developed its first carton-based cosmetic tube in technical collaboration with Albéa – a cosmetic packaging wholesaler. The carton is made from bio-based paper-like material that replaces majority of the plastic. L'Oréal is set to launch this new cosmetic tube in the second half of 2020. Similarly, finish-based packaging solutions provider Stora Enso Oyj also developed a paperboard tube for cosmetics packaging as a climate-friendly alternative to plastic tubes. The paperboard tube is suitable for the primary packaging of skin cream products. Further, the incorporation of nanoparticles in food contact materials has the potential to provide a new technological spur in the liquid packaging market. Several nanoparticles can provide active properties to food packaging materials such as antimicrobial properties, oxygen scavenging ability, and enzyme immobilization. 

The global liquid packaging market is segmented by materials, technology, packaging format, end user, and region. Based on materials, the global liquid packaging market is studied into paperboard, plastics, glass, metal, and others. Plastics is further sub-segmented into polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and others. Based on technology, the global liquid packaging market is segmented into aseptic liquid packaging, blow molding, and Form Fill Seal technology. Based on packaging format, the global liquid packaging market is segmented into flexible and rigid. Flexible liquid packaging is further sub-segmented into films, stand-up pouches, and bag-in-box; while rigid liquid packaging is sub-segmented into carton, paperboards; bottles, jars, cans & tubes. The end users of liquid packaging are food & beverages, personal care, pharmaceutical, household care, industrial, and other industries. Based on region, the global liquid packaging market is studied across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.

The global liquid packaging market profiles the leading players in the liquid packaging market, they include Amcor Limited, Berry Global, Constantia Flexibles, Gerresheimer AG, Goglio S.p.A., MONDI Plc, ProAmpac, Reynolds Group Holdings Ltd., Sealed Air Corporation, SIG Combibloc Group Ltd., Smurfit Kappa, Sonoco Products Company, and Tetra Laval.

Global Liquid Packaging Market, By Country 

Asia-Pacific accounted for the largest revenue share in 2019, owing to presence of countries such as India and China that have a vast consumer base for food & beverages, and other end-users of liquid packaging. 

Global Liquid Packaging Market, By Materials

The plastics segment accounted for the largest market share in 2019, owing to its superior properties over other materials such as flexibility, durability, and low costs.

Global Liquid Packaging Market, By Technology

The aseptic liquid packaging segment accounted for the largest share in 2019, as well as was the fastest growing segment due to the demand for aseptic liquid packaging for food & beverage and pharmaceutical sterile liquid packaging.

Global Liquid Packaging Market, By Packaging Format

The rigid liquid packaging segment accounted for the largest market share in 2019, owing to abundant use of bottles and containers made of glass as well as plastic. The flexible liquid packaging segment is projected to be the fastest growing segment, owing to the increasing trend of replacing rigid liquid packaging with flexible liquid packaging.

Global Liquid Packaging Market, By End User

The food & beverage industry accounted for the highest market share in 2019 due to increase in consumers of packed food & beverages as well as expansion of the food retailing sector. The pharmaceutical segment is the fastest growing segment, due to growing pharmaceutical industry, which increase the demand for squeezable tubes and medical vials.

Key Benefits For Stakeholders

• The global liquid packaging market growth covers in-depth information of the major industry participants.
• Porter’s five forces analysis helps analyze the potential of buyers & suppliers and the competitive scenario of the industry for strategy building.
• Major countries have been mapped according to their individual revenue contribution to the regional market.
• The report provides an in-depth analysis of the global liquid packaging market forecast for the period 2020–2027.
• The report outlines the current global liquid packaging market trends and future estimations from 2019 to 2027 to understand the prevailing opportunities and potential investment pockets. 
• The key drivers, restraints, and regional market opportunity and their detailed impact analysis is elucidated in the study.

Impact Of Covid-19 On The Global Liquid Packaging Market

• Lockdown measures have hampered the tourism industry, in turn, affecting the food & beverage industry as well as the hotel industry. 
• Owing to the decline in manufacturing sector, the industrial liquid packaging is also expected to witness a decline.
• However, the pandemic has increased local demand for food & beverages. As food & beverages have been tagged as essential during this crisis, to avoid a shortage, people are stocking essential foods & beverages. 
• This has led to increased demand for liquid packaging. There has been a significant increase in the sales of sauces, dressings, and food condiments segments. 
• In an effort to control the spread of COVID-19 causing virus, the demand for sanitizer, hand washes, and liquid detergents has sky rocketed post March 2020 
• The need for hand sanitizers has quadrupled and witnessed 16 times growth than pre-COVID period in the time frame from December 2019 to March 2020. 
• This has increased the demand for sanitizer bottles, containers, and stand-up pouches. In addition, it also increased the demand for top handle and side handle containers for chemical storage such as Sodium Hypochlorite, which is a main disinfectant. Hence, the liquid packaging market was impacted in both positive as well as negative way.

 Liquid Packaging Market Report Highlights