Glass Packaging - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2025 - 2030)

The glass packaging market size stands at 127.92 million tons in 2025 and is forecast to reach 151.63 million tons by 2030, advancing at a 3.28% CAGR.

This steady, volume-driven growth reflects the industry's shift toward sustainable materials, the rapid scale-up of vial production for new biologics, and continuing premiumization in beverages. Glass maintains relevance because it offers infinite recyclability, strong barrier properties, and a premium look that supports brand differentiation. Manufacturers are investing in electric furnaces, higher cullet content, and lightweight bottle designs to cut emissions and reduce total material use. At the same time, mid-size containers between 500 ml and 1 l are winning share thanks to the rise of family packs and bulk purchasing through e-commerce channels.

Global Glass Packaging Market Trends and Insights

Craft Beer and Premium Spirits Surge Fueling Glass Bottle Demand

Rising craft breweries and new distilleries are fueling incremental glass bottle orders. Ardagh Group broadened its premium spirits portfolio in 2024 to meet this appetite. The UK spirits market reached GBP 16.8 billion in 2024 with more than 50 additional distilleries, demonstrating how premium positioning drives glass uptake. Ready-to-drink cocktails are projected to grow 16.2% per year to 2030, favouring glass because it safeguards flavour and signals authenticity. The hyperlocal trend in spirits production also benefits small-batch glass bottle runs that showcase craft heritage. Brand owners value the material's clarity, rigidity, and inertness when presenting super-premium liquids.

mRNA and Vector-Vaccine Rollout Boosting Pharmaceutical Glass Vials

Scaling production of new biologics drives sustained demand for Type I vials. SCHOTT Pharma committed USD 371 million to a North Carolina plant that will supply glass syringes for GLP-1 drugs and refillable polymer systems for mRNA medicines. The FDA issued updated guidance on container-closure changes in 2024, underscoring regulatory focus on vial quality. Corning's Valor formulation removes boron to prevent delamination, addressing drug safety while enabling automated filling lines. These moves confirm the long-term growth runway for pharma glass packaging market solutions.

Availability of Alternative Solutions

Lightweight aluminum and emerging bio-based plastics are eating into the addressable volume of the glass packaging market, particularly in cost-sensitive beverage segments. Kopu Water highlights the superior residual value of aluminum, which supports near-100% capture rates in closed-loop channels. BlueTriton adopted aluminum bottles for Poland Spring to improve recycling economics. European policy that targets petrochemical reduction accelerates innovation in PLA and PEF, raising competitive intensity for glass.

Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:

1. Increasing Demand from Cosmetics Industry for Premium Packaging
2. RTD Coffee and Functional Drinks Uptake in Asia Spurring Lightweight Glass Bottles
3. Shortage of Pharma-Grade Borosilicate Tubing Limits Vial Supply

For complete list of drivers and restraints, kindly check the Table Of Contents.

Segment Analysis

Bottles and jars held 65.12% of 2024 volumes as they span food, beverage, and beauty sectors. Vials and ampoules posted the fastest trajectory, growing at 6.41% CAGR on the back of new cell-and-gene therapies that require inert packaging. SCHOTT Pharma generated USD 1.034 billion revenue in 2024 from syringe and vial solutions. Corning's Valor glass eliminates delamination, improving durability in automated fill lines. The glass packaging market size for vials is projected to climb steadily as biologic pipelines mature.

Broader specialty items such as laboratory containers remain niche but stable. Automation has replaced hand-blown production, ensuring uniform wall thickness and dimensional accuracy. Gerresheimer's acquisition of Bormioli Pharma adds the EZ-fill Smart platform to streamline ready-to-fill processing. Competitive differentiation now centres on surface coatings and smart caps that monitor adherence.

Beverages commanded 54.65% share in 2024 thanks to entrenched glass preferences in beer, wine, and spirits. Craft labels choose flint bottles to showcase colour and carbonation. Non-alcoholic drinks such as premium juices and dairy blends also lean on glass for flavour integrity. The glass packaging market share held by beverages is expected to persist as premium SKUs outgrow mass brands.

Pharmaceuticals represent the fastest-growing vertical at 7.25% CAGR. Production of mRNA vaccines and GLP-1 injectables will push the glass packaging market size for pharma to new highs by 2030. Cosmetics, fragrances, and personal care lines turn to glass to communicate luxury while meeting recyclability goals. Food applications maintain baseline demand, particularly for sauces and gourmet condiments that benefit from product visibility.

The Glass Packaging Market Report is Segmented by Product Type (Bottles and Jars, and More), End-Use Industry (Food, Beverage, Pharmaceuticals, and More), Color (Flint, Amber, and More), Capacity (Less Than 200ml, 200-500ml, 500-1000ml, More Than 1000ml), and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, South America). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Volume (Tons).

Geography Analysis

Europe controlled 38.12% of 2024 volume owing to a mature manufacturing base, stringent recycling targets, and entrenched wine and spirits culture. Verallia switched on the first fully electric furnace in Cognac, trimming CO2 by 60% and demonstrating the region's decarbonization leadership AGC Glass Europe recycled 700,000 tons of cullet during 2023, reinforcing circular-economy momentum. Stringent producer-responsibility directives tilt the regulatory field toward glass over certain plastics. Demand pulled back slightly in 2024 on softer beer volumes, yet innovation and premiumization keep value stable.

North America remains a pivotal market supported by craft beverages and biotech hubs. O-I Glass, the region's largest producer, is reviewing a 7% capacity cut by mid-2025 to align supply with demand shifts. Investments in electrification at Veauche and Alloa plants highlight the group's commitment to emission reductions. Regulatory incentives for recycled content and advanced manufacturing tax credits could accelerate modernization.

Asia-Pacific shows resilient growth despite temporary inventory overhangs in China. BG Container Glass posted USD 432 million revenue in 2023 and expects 4.7% CAGR through 2030. China's flat glass makers are pivoting toward photovoltaic and automotive markets, freeing capacity for container glass once demand rebounds. Rapid urbanization, new middle-class consumers, and the RTD boom all support long-term expansion of the glass packaging market.

The Middle East and Africa is set to record the strongest 7.82% CAGR through 2030, driven by infrastructure build-out and rising packaged-goods demand. Vitro plans USD 400 million of glass investments in Egypt to meet regional growth. HORN fired up a new furnace for Frigoglass in Nigeria, proving local capability gains. Government policies encouraging domestic manufacturing reduce import reliance and build supply-chain resilience.

South America delivers steady gains from beverage staples and improving recycling systems. Producers are exploring lightweight bottles to cut logistics costs across vast geographies. Altogether, geographic dynamics highlight how sustainability frameworks, energy prices, and consumer preferences create diverse regional trajectories.

1. O-I Glass Inc. (Owens-Illinois)
2. Ardagh Group
3. Gerresheimer AG
4. Wiegand-Glas GmbH
5. Piramal Glass Pvt. Ltd.
6. Hindustan National Glass & Industries Ltd.
7. Verallia Deutschland AG
8. SGD Pharma
9. WestPack LLC
10. Berlin Packaging LLC
11. SGD Kipfenberg GmbH
12. HEINZ-GLAS GmbH & Co. KGaA
13. BA Glass Germany GmbH
14. AGI glaspac
15. Glashutte Freital GmbH
16. KP Glas GmbH & Co. KG
17. San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Corporation
18. Hung Phu Glass Joint Stock Company (HuphuMeglass)
19. Vietnam Nashley Technology Joint Stock Company
20. Feemio Group Co., Ltd.
21. Pavico Packaging Company Limited
22. SCHOTT Pharma (SCHOTT Group)
23. Pharma-Q Holdings (Pty) Ltd.
24. Nurrin Pharmalab
25. Stevanato Group Spa
26. Corning Incorporated
27. Kapoor Glass India Pvt. Ltd.
28. Neelam Global Pvt. Ltd
29. Khemka Glass
30. Amputech Industry
31. Stevanato Group
32. Hindustan Glass Works

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support