PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1931316
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1931316
Flexible packaging refers to lightweight and versatile materials that can easily change shape without breaking. It typically involves multiple layers of materials to ensure durability, product protection, and extended shelf life. This type of packaging is popular across various industries because of its cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and convenience.
The main products in flexible packaging include bags, pouches, roll stock, films, wraps, and others. Bags are flexible containers made from plastic, paper, or fabric, designed for carrying or storing items. The materials used in flexible packaging include plastics, paper, metal, and bioplastics, which are printed using techniques such as flexography, digital printing, and other methods. These products are used in a wide range of applications, including food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, personal care, cosmetics, and more.
Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report's Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.
Tariffs are influencing the flexible packaging market by increasing costs of imported polymer resins, aluminum foils, inks, adhesives, and specialized films used across pouches, bags, and wraps. Packaging producers in North America and Europe are most affected due to reliance on imported raw materials, while Asia-Pacific faces cost pressure on export-oriented packaging production. These tariffs are raising manufacturing costs and affecting pricing competitiveness. However, they are also accelerating investments in local material sourcing, regional production facilities, and innovation in bio-based and recyclable flexible packaging materials.
The flexible packaging market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides flexible packaging market statistics, including flexible packaging industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a flexible packaging market share, detailed flexible packaging market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the flexible packaging industry. This flexible packaging market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.
The flexible packaging market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $308.11 billion in 2025 to $331.79 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.7%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to expansion of packaged food consumption, growth of retail and e-commerce packaging demand, availability of advanced polymer materials, cost efficiency of flexible packaging, expansion of global consumer goods markets.
The flexible packaging market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $444.76 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.6%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing regulations on plastic waste reduction, rising demand for sustainable packaging, growth of convenience food consumption, increasing adoption of smart packaging technologies, expansion of emerging market consumption. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing adoption of recyclable and biodegradable materials, rising demand for lightweight packaging solutions, growing use of high-barrier flexible packaging, expansion of custom printed packaging formats, enhanced focus on shelf-life extension.
The growing number of online food outlets is anticipated to drive the expansion of the flexible packaging market in the coming years. Online food outlets are digital platforms or services that enable customers to order food and beverages for delivery or pickup. The increase in online food outlets is attributed to rising consumer demand for convenience and continuous advancements in digital technologies. With increasingly busy lifestyles, more consumers prefer ordering food online instead of cooking or dining out, as it saves time and provides access to a broad range of options at their convenience. Flexible packaging supports online food outlets by ensuring product freshness, preventing spills, and offering cost-efficient delivery solutions, thereby improving customer satisfaction and strengthening brand value. For example, in 2025, according to Uber Eats, a US-based online food ordering and delivery platform and subsidiary of Uber, the platform reported over 1.5 million active merchants worldwide in 2024 and served 140 million customers, enabling hundreds of millions of orders in the United States, generating $9.4 billion in new economic revenue, and expanding its merchant base by more than 10%. Therefore, the increasing number of online food outlets is contributing to the growth of the flexible packaging market.
Leading companies in the flexible packaging market are focusing on developing innovative, sustainable products, such as paper-based flexible packaging, to reduce plastic waste. Paper-based flexible packaging is made from lightweight, versatile paper materials, often combined with coatings or laminates to enhance durability, barrier protection, and heat sealability. For example, in April 2024, Parkside Flexible, a UK-based packaging company, introduced its Recoflex range of recyclable, paper-based flexible packaging. This range provides durability, barrier performance, and heat sealability for various applications and is available in both single-ply and laminated formats with multiple specifications.
In December 2024, Arkema S.A., a France-based manufacturer of specialty materials, acquired Dow's flexible packaging business for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition is designed to strengthen Arkema's position in the flexible packaging market by enhancing its packaging solutions. Dow Inc., a US-based company, specializes in flexible packaging laminating adhesives.
Major companies operating in the flexible packaging market are Henkel Limited., Amcor Plc, Mondi Group, Sonoco Products Company, Sealed Air Corp, Huhtamaki Oyj, Constantia Flexibles Group, ProAmpac Holdings, ePac Holdings LLC., LC Packaging International BV, TCPL Packaging Ltd., Guala Pack S.p.a., Resinex, Terinex Flexibles Ltd, Parkside Flexibles Ltd., Eagle Flexible Packaging Inc., FENTON PACKAGING LIMITED, WZ Packaging Ltd, Harkwell Labels Ltd., Norpol Packaging Ltd, Shako Flexipack Private Limited. , SPP Printed Packaging, Tyler Packaging Ltd.
Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the flexible packaging market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the flexible packaging market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.
The countries covered in the flexible packaging market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
The flexible packaging market consists of sales of sachets, liners, sleeves, blister packs, and shrink wraps. Values in this market are 'factory gate' values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
Flexible Packaging Market Global Report 2026 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses flexible packaging market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for flexible packaging ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The flexible packaging market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, total addressable market (TAM), market attractiveness score (MAS), competitive landscape, market shares, company scoring matrix, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
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