Petfood Packaging Market Report: Trends, Forecast and Competitive Analysis to 2035

Petfood Packaging Market

The future of the global petfood packaging market looks promising with opportunities in the pet dog and pet cat markets. The global petfood packaging market is expected to reach an estimated $24.3 billion by 2035 from $15.3 billion in 2027 with a CAGR of 5.8% from 2027 to 2035. The major drivers for this market are growing emphasis on secure & hygienic packaging for pet food products, increasing number of pet owners, and rising need for attractive & functional packaging to distinguish pet food brands.

• Lucintel forecasts that, within the type category, plastic is expected to witness the highest growth over the forecast period due to its durability, flexibility, and cost-effective barrier protection.
• Within the application category, pet dog is expected to witness a higher growth over the forecast period due to rising dog ownership and pet food consumption.
• In terms of regions, APAC is expected to witness the highest growth over the forecast period due to rising pet ownership and expanding pet food industry.

Emerging Trends in Petfood Packaging Market

This period (2025-2027) will see further evolves in pet food packaging. Expect more functionality, recyclability, and packaging streamlining influenced by high-end pet foods, e-commerce, and increasingly stringent legislation controlling waste. Followers of industry trends recognize that in addition to cost, factors such as materials' efficiency and shelf life enhance or restrict a packaged product's market potential. To differentiate themselves in a marketplace, suppliers are making changes at all levels of the packaged product, from the package closure to the product carton.

• Sustainability: The packaging industry and a number of large brand names will give focus and capital to procure and convert packaging to fulfill the requirements set by the EU for packaging sustainability and recyclability between 2025 and 2027.
• Premiumization: The use of packaging for higher end, functional, and veterinary pet foods will create a greater need for packaging which provides a barrier and ailments other packaging limitations.
• E-Commerce: As the sale of pet foods over the internet increases, so will the need for packaging which reduces the dimensional weight of the package and is Durable for Shipping. Expect greater integration of multi-packs, where each pack in the shipment is contained in a separately packaged shipment.
• Smart Packaging: In 2025, many brands used packaging to integrate QR codes and other methods to provide serialized product data to facilitate product tracing and give consumers product information. More brands are expected to adopt similar packaging to provide product authenticity and compliance information and engage with consumers.
• Distributed Supply Chains: Packaging suppliers have added local conversion capabilities and dual-sourcing to reduce their dependence on international supply. Although investment in local processing and supply from 2025 to 2027 will improve the resiliency of packaging supplies, it may increase the costs to accept different suppliers.

Pet food packaging will favor suppliers who combine reduce packaging weights and other sustainability improvements. There will be a focus on improving the performance of packaging and reducing the interference of packaging with filling equipment and systems. Improvements in packaging will allow brands to offer greater product variety and packaging systems to facilitate and encourage product differentiation. Changes to packaging systems should also allow for easier product and pack recyclability.

Recent Developments in the Petfood Packaging Market

Increased investment in pet food packaging is expected due to changes in packaging requirements, the need for premium packs, and the requirements of customers (retailers). In the 2025-2027-time frame, the major investments are anticipated to be in formats that utilize enclosable, recyclable, and other forms of sustainable packs. During this time frame, Lucintel expects that pack converters would establish new facilities to manufacture sustainable packs.

• Industry Consolidations: Based on recent industry activities, sustainable packs are expected to gain more market traction in the coming years. Scale and integration are expected to give Amcor an edge in global pet food packaging contracts.
• Regulatory Approvals: The Pet Food Packaging requirements in the EU are expected to favor the use of simpler labels and designs to enable collection and/or processing of the packages.
• Recyclable Technology Launches: Packaging formats for pet food require shapes and features to provide barrier protection. The balance of requirements results in a challenge to the pack designers to provide packs that are of shelf ready packs and prepacks that are of an appropriate barrier and pack recyclability.
• Expanding Production: Packaging converters are building plants nearer their customers in order to reduce the distance transported and minimize their exposure to volatile freight costs. Amcor, for example, is projected to spend $1.1 billion by 2025 to build plants to serve food and pet food customers. With procurement and distribution networks becoming more localized, Amcor's investments are likely to pay off.
• Collaborations: Packaging suppliers and their customers jointly developed lightweight and paper-based pet food packaging in 2025. Compared to other pet food packages, these new packages must be tested against a variety of factors, from their ability to prevent oxygen from getting to the food to how well they seal and how they stand up to the handling by the end customer.

As a result of all these development activities, the market for pet food packaging is moving from being a "cost-in-use" market to a "performance-in-use" market. By 2030, the pet food packaging market will undergo numerous regulations. Packaging suppliers that have regional plants and are flexible in designing packages that meet food safety standards will gain market share.

Strategic Growth Opportunities in the Petfood Packaging Market

As premium, online, and sustainable changes influence consumer shopping from 2024-2026, pet food packaging will experience high levels of competition. Packaging that enables brand owners to communicate environmental messages in packs that protect the packs' integrity and the nutrition within is difficult to find. Lucintel has identified that packs made with high barrier materials, beyond what is currently used in the pet food industry, will create new market opportunities.

• High-barrier Recyclable Formats: From 2024, the EU will mandate the use of meeting defined standards of sustainable and recyclable packaging. Mono-material packs made of polyethylene and polypropylene will protect the integrity of pet food packaging and protect the integrity of the contained product.
• Premium Wet-food Packaging: The U.S. pet food market was worth around $150 billion in 2024. Consumers will pay a premium for convenient, healthy, and prescribed pet foods. Pet food manufacturers will have to find packaging that protects the integrity of the pet food for long periods of time, and enables conveying of the product in a package that has the product ready for consumption.
• E-commerce-ready Packs: Packaging specifically engineered for shipping can help solve the issues of leakage, crushing, and the use of secondary cartons in e-commerce fulfillment. Per industry estimates, in 2025 over 30% of all pet product shopping in the U.S. will occur via online channels. Companies need to find ways to reduce package size while still providing package security.
• Localizing for Growing Markets: In Latin America, the Middle East and parts of Asia, rising middle class incomes and increased pet ownership will create opportunities for the sale of pet products and services. Smaller package sizes can help companies better distribute their products to more rural and secondary markets.
• Smart Packaging: There are a number of different packaging innovations that can be used in the pet food industry to strengthen a brand, provide secure authentication, and enhance traceability. These innovations, combined with the ongoing industry shift towards 2D barcodes, will help branded suppliers gain more insight into consumer purchase behavior and improve the overall efficiency of the supply chain.

Interdisciplinary strategies that leverage both packaging science and customer value will allow companies to capture a greater share of the pet food market and gain a competitive edge.

Petfood Packaging Market Drivers and Challenges

The petfood packaging market is subject to various trends. The growth of the petfood industry along with the introduction of new packaging formats driven by increased convenience and premium product positioning expectations, have encouraged packaging innovations. Manufacturers have also adapted formats and structures of petfood packaging to ensure light weighting and improved efficiency of the packaging production processes. The packaging industry is also subject to the changing regulations. The future of the petfood packaging format is expected to be shaped by continued innovations driven by the goals of improving packaging sustainability. However, the petfood industry is expected to face challenges of high price volatility of raw materials and, supply and demand imbalances, especially in the raw materials and packaging formats. The various market disruptions are likely to constrain the profitability of market players. These players are challenged to balance the environmental impact of their products and remain competitive in the marketplace.

The factors responsible for driving this market include:

• Premiumization and Product Differentiation: Production of premium and specialized food products has increased. Packaging plays a major role in communicating product differentiation and positioning in a competitive market. Moreover, package graphics play a significant role in communicating product features to customers e.g. product freshening, safety and quality. Stand-up pouches, and re-sealable bags provide a different mode of product differentiation. In 2025, premium and functional pet products maintained their dominant position in the market, encouraging manufacturers to use differentiated and superior packaging. Packaging 4.0 concepts including printing upgrades, and special finishes to communicate product differentiation will be major packaging trends in the pet food market in the next 3-5 years.
• Convenience and E-commerce: Increased e-commerce and convenience stores, call for packaging that is light weight and easy to store, transport and carry. Packaging should also facilitate product differentiation and protection during shipping. From a logistical standpoint, flexible packaging offers a greater space saving potential compared to rigid packages. Package closures play a major role in product differentiation and protection during transit. The increased prevalence of e-commerce fulfilment will influence changes in material, closure and protective structures in the pet food packaging market in the next 3-5 years.
• Sustainability and Recyclability: Packaging systems are increasingly expected to be lightweight, recyclable, and/or reduce carbon footprints. Barriers to down-gauging are the loss of mechanical properties and the inability to provide oxygen and moisture barriers. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation has accelerated efforts to develop more sustainable and/or recyclable packaging systems. In the next 3 to 5 years, similar legislative requirements will accelerate investment for development of packaging systems containing post-consumer material, clear instructions for packaging system recycling, and/or lighter-weight packaging systems. Synergies between packaging system providers that develop recyclable barrier systems and provide oxygen and/or moisture barriers will gain market share, at the expense of current multilayer systems.
• Packaging Systems and Product Innovation: Packaging systems provide greater product protection and enhance product functionality. For example, intelligent labels and packaging provide greater supply chain product visibility. Other recent innovations enhance the productivity and efficiency of packaging systems. Continuous improvements in packaging systems will facilitate achievement of product and package sustainability and enhances speed to market of customized product offerings. Smart and active packaging systems will gain market share, particularly in the super and hyped premium petfood market.
• Manufacturing Costs and Effectiveness: Efficient manufacturing requires reducing labor and material intensity. Automation, lightweight design, and the use of robots in manufacturing have lowered the amount of material used in packaging. Predictive maintenance and the optimization of forming and filling have reduced waste in packaging. Standardization and simplification of package components have improved flexibility in manufacturing. Continuous production, in conjunction with automation, has reduced the time required for packaging operations. Many packaging producers automate their operations to increase output and decrease their dependence on manual labor. This trend is expected to continue. There is ongoing investment to improve equipment and processes in order to create lighter weight packages at a lower cost.

The challenges facing this market include:

• Price Fluctuation of Raw Materials: The volatility in the price of raw materials, such as resins, metals, papers, coatings, energy, and transportation, increases packaging costs and disrupts negotiations for long term contracts. Geopolitical activities and extreme weather conditions also impact raw material prices. In 2025, many manufacturers changed their strategies to reduce the risk associated with raw material price fluctuations. The producers of packaging systems will continue to replace raw materials and modify packaging systems in an effort to lightweight and reduce the cost of packaging. Price volatility will create a more unfavorable business environment, particularly for smaller suppliers.
• Recyclability Constraints and Performance Requirements of Pet Food Packaging: Multiple barrier pet food packaging is required to contain various contaminants, but these formats often contain complex, laminated structures which are difficult to recycle. There is large variance in material and infrastructure for recycling systems around the world. In addition, 2026 is the expected date of implementation of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, meaning that packaging in the EU will need to be designed to allow for recovery and/or reuse. It is expected that during the next 3-5 years, companies will be required to invest significant resources to redesign packaging to allow for recovery, with a concurrent inability to make meaningful recycled content claims. This will potentially negatively impact the company's sustainability goals.
• Regulatory and Legal Requirements: Packaging must conform to food contact standards, be labeled in a manner consistent with the law of each country where it is sold, and allow the recovery of the package by the producer, among other things. In February 2025, the EU further restricted packaging, requiring greater reduction of packaging, and more stringent recycled content standards. In the next 3-5 years, regulatory differences between various countries may require a single pet food product to be packaged in multiple ways. Possession of an effective, compliant system may differentiate companies from competitors that experience product recalls and/or fines. This is especially true as consumers and regulators focus on the sustainability of a company's products and services.

Raw materials and energy prices are unpredictable. Regulations and limitations on recycling complicate innovation. These challenges affect the competitiveness of companies in the petfood packaging industry. There is a need to consider all sides of the circular economy (protect the environment, use resources effectively, and meet the demands of the market). Some firms will survive and thrive by strategically planning how to control costs, boost performance, and increase the protection of the environment in pet food packaging. Companies that can integrate flexible designs, shipment, and business frameworks in line with the requirements of various markets will prosper. This will enable them to maximize their competitiveness while ensuring that their products and services satisfy the needs of clients and sustainability goals.

List of Petfood Packaging Market Companies

Companies in the market compete on the basis of product quality offered. Major players in this market focus on expanding their manufacturing facilities, R&D investments, infrastructural development, and leverage integration opportunities across the value chain. Through these strategies petfood packaging market companies cater increasing demand, ensure competitive effectiveness, develop innovative products & technologies, reduce production costs, and expand their customer base. Some of the petfood packaging market companies profiled in this report include-

• Amcor
• Mondi
• Sonoco
• Ardagh
• CCL
• Coveris
• DS Smith

Petfood Packaging Market by Segment

The study includes a forecast for the global petfood packaging by type, application, and region.

Petfood Packaging Market by Type [Value ($B) from 2019 to 2035]:

• Plastic
• Folding Cartons
• Metal

Petfood Packaging Market by Application [Value ($B) from 2019 to 2035]:

• Pet Dog
• Pet Cat
• Others

Petfood Packaging Market by Region [Value ($B) from 2019 to 2035]:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• The Rest of the World

Country Wise Outlook for the Petfood Packaging Market

Consolidation of packaging providers, principles and mandates of sustainable packaging, as well as high levels of investment in automated packaging and processing equipment, are altering the petfood packaging market. According to Lucintel, in the next few years, the same level of industry turmoil will occur as a result of changes in petfood market demand as a result of the introduced policies and restructuring of the petfood industry. Lucintel predicts that in the next few years, the primary concern of petfood packaging industry competitors will remain the location of their operations.

• United States: Continuing trends in the petfood packaging industry include the acquisition of Berry by Amcor (now ABF), as well as the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility legislation by various state governments. Within the next several years, both of these trends will likely foster the large-scale repackaging of petfood, as well as investment in new, Recyclable Packaging by petfood manufacturers.
• China: The Chinese government also has policies that support the construction of new petfood manufacturing facilities. The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology also reported that in 2024, 1,597 new "Green" Petfood Manufacturing facilities were constructed. These policies and the support provided by the Chinese government are likely to influence the petfood packaging industry by supporting local petfood manufacturers and packaging suppliers.
• Germany: Their Packaging Act, in conjunction with the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, mandates enhancements to packaging systems and structures. Producers are required to design and implement lightweight structures and systems, packaging, and solutions to capture and generate data regarding packaging. The impact of the legislation is expected to drive improvements to petfood packaging in the next three to five years.
• India: Recent amendments to India's solid waste management rules, along with improvements in the country's packaging manufacturing investments, are expected to influence the type of petfood packaging used in India. Stronger traceability systems, along with increased availability of flexible packaging and film, should facilitate compliance.
• Japan: Improving the recyclability and efficiency of packaging materials and systems is of high priority in the country. Other prominent packaging trends also influence the petfood industry, including increasing the use of high barrier films and flexible packaging.

Features of the Global Petfood Packaging Market

• Market Size Estimates: petfood packaging market size estimation in terms of value ($B).
• Trend and Forecast Analysis: Market trends (2019 to 2026) and forecast (2027 to 2035) by various segments and regions.
• Segmentation Analysis: petfood packaging market size by type, application, and region in terms of value ($B).
• Regional Analysis: petfood packaging market breakdown by North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World.
• Growth Opportunities: Analysis of growth opportunities in different types, applications, and regions for the petfood packaging market.
• Strategic Analysis: This includes M&A, new product development, and competitive landscape of the petfood packaging market.

Analysis of competitive intensity of the industry based on Porter's Five Forces model.

If you are looking to expand your business in this or adjacent markets, then contact us. We have done hundreds of strategic consulting projects in market entry, opportunity screening, due diligence, supply chain analysis, M & A, and more.

This report answers following 11 key questions:

• Q.1. What are some of the most promising, high-growth opportunities for the petfood packaging market by type (plastic, folding cartons, and metal), application (pet dog, pet cat, and others), and region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World)?
• Q.2. Which segments will grow at a faster pace and why?
• Q.3. Which region will grow at a faster pace and why?
• Q.4. What are the key factors affecting market dynamics? What are the key challenges and business risks in this market?
• Q.5. What are the business risks and competitive threats in this market?
• Q.6. What are the emerging trends in this market and the reasons behind them?
• Q.7. What are some of the changing demands of customers in the market?
• Q.8. What are the new developments in the market? Which companies are leading these developments?
• Q.9. Who are the major players in this market? What strategic initiatives are key players pursuing for business growth?
• Q.10. What are some of the competing products in this market and how big of a threat do they pose for loss of market share by material or product substitution?
• Q.11. What M&A activity has occurred in the last 8 years and what has its impact been on the industry?