PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1931489
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1931489
Paper and paperboard packaging are materials made from paper pulp and used to create various packaging solutions. They enclose, protect, and present products for storage, transportation, and sale.
The main products include folding cartons, corrugated boxes, and others. Folding cartons are flat paperboard containers folded, printed, and cut for various consumer goods. They come in grades such as solid bleached sulfate, coated unbleached Kraft paperboard, and folding boxboard. End users include food, beverage, healthcare, personal care, and electrical industries.
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 impacting the paper and paperboard packaging market by increasing costs of imported pulp, specialty paper grades, coating chemicals, and processing machinery. 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 paperboard products. These tariffs are raising production costs and influencing packaging prices. At the same time, they are encouraging domestic pulp production, regional recycling initiatives, and investments in local paper manufacturing capacity.
The paper and paperboard packaging market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides paper and paperboard packaging market statistics, including paper and paperboard packaging industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a paper and paperboard packaging market share, detailed paper and paperboard packaging market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the paper and paperboard packaging industry. This paper and paperboard 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 paper and paperboard packaging market size has grown steadily in recent years. It will grow from $442.34 billion in 2025 to $461.32 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.3%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to expansion of food and beverage packaging demand, growth in retail distribution networks, widespread use of corrugated boxes, increasing demand for cost-effective packaging, availability of paper-based raw materials.
The paper and paperboard packaging market size is expected to see steady growth in the next few years. It will grow to $546.52 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.3%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing shift toward sustainable packaging materials, rising e-commerce driven packaging demand, expansion of circular economy initiatives, growing investments in paper recycling infrastructure, increasing adoption of smart packaging designs. Major trends in the forecast period include growing adoption of recyclable packaging solutions, rising demand for lightweight paper-based packaging, expansion of corrugated packaging for e-commerce, increasing use of high-strength paperboard grades, enhanced focus on custom printing and branding.
The rapid expansion of e-commerce is expected to drive the growth of the paper and paperboard packaging market in the coming years. E-commerce refers to the purchase and sale of goods and services through online platforms. Paper and paperboard packaging are widely used in e-commerce because they are cost-effective, versatile, lightweight, and sufficiently strong to support product protection, customization, branding, and evolving consumer preferences. For example, in November 2023, according to the United States Census Bureau, a US-based government agency, e-commerce growth reached 7.6% in the third quarter of 2023, compared with 6.9% in the fourth quarter of 2022. In addition, approximately 15.4% of total sales in the second quarter of 2023 were generated through online retail channels. Therefore, the strong growth of e-commerce is driving the expansion of the paper and paperboard packaging market.
Major companies operating in the paper and paperboard packaging market are increasingly adopting innovative recyclable solutions, such as recyclable food packaging, to address rising demand for sustainable packaging. Recyclable food packaging consists of materials that can be efficiently recycled after use, thereby reducing environmental impact. These solutions are typically produced from renewable and sustainable resources and are designed to be curbside recyclable or compostable. For instance, in May 2023, Stora Enso, a Finland-based packaging materials provider, introduced the Tambrite Aqua+ folding box board solution. This product is intended for frozen, chilled, and dry food applications and aims to reduce reliance on fossil-based plastics. It features a water-based dispersion coating that minimizes plastic usage, is fluorochemical-free, and provides resistance to grease and moisture. The dispersion coating technology enables effective integration with paperboard surfaces, offering protection while maintaining recyclability and ensuring product safety and integrity under various storage conditions.
In September 2023, Sonoco Products Company, a US-based manufacturing firm, acquired RTS Packaging for approximately $330 million. Through this acquisition, Sonoco sought to strengthen its recycled fiber-based and paper packaging capabilities while expanding its presence across consumer and industrial packaging markets. RTS Packaging LLC is a US-based manufacturer specializing in fiber partitions, paperboard cartons, and protective paper-based packaging solutions for food, beverage, and industrial end users.
Major companies operating in the paper and paperboard packaging market are WestRock Company, International Paper Company, Amcor Ltd., Tetra Pak, UPM-Kymmene Corporation, Smurfit Kappa Group Plc, Stora Enso Oyj, Oji Holdings Corporation, Graphic Packaging International, DS Smith Plc, Packaging Corporation of America, India Tobacco Company Limited, Metsa Group, South Africa Pulp and Paper Industries Ltd, Domtar Corporation, Cascades Inc., Nippon Paper Industries Co. Ltd, Shandong Bohui Paper Company Ltd, Visy Industries Australia Pty Ltd, BillerudKorsnas AB, Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget SCA, Mondi Group, Weyerhaeuser, Sonoco Products Company
Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the paper and paperboard packaging market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the paper and paperboard 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 paper and paperboard packaging market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
The paper and paperboard packaging market consists of sales of bags, sacks, wrapping and tissue paper, corrugated packaging, paperboard trays, and padded mailers. 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.
Paper and Paperboard 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 paper and paperboard 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 paper and paperboard 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 paper and paperboard 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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