PET Packaging Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Packaging Type (Rigid Packaging, Flexible Packaging), By Product Type (Bottles & Jars, Caps & Closures, Trays & Clamshells, Bags & Pouches, Films & Wraps, Sachets & Stick Packs, Cans & Containers), By End-user (Food & Beverage, Pharmaceutical, Personal Care & Cosmetics, Automotive, Electricals & Electronics, Chemicals, Building & Construction, Agriculture, Household, Others), and Regional Forecasts, 2022-2029

The global PET packaging market size was valued at USD 37.85 billion in 2021 and is projected to grow from USD 39.23 billion in 2022 to USD 55.46 billion by 2029, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.1% during the forecast period. The global COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented and staggering, with PET packaging experiencing lower-than-anticipated demand across all regions compared to pre-pandemic levels. Based on our analysis, the global PET packaging market exhibited a decline of -3.1% in 2020 as compared to 2019.

Compared with other materials, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) has excellent flexibility and toughness, enabling it to be used in highly lightweight packaging, saving raw materials, and natural resources. In other words, PET's exceptional capacity-to-weight ratio is crucial to its energy efficiency and climate change mitigation. This reduces packaging production, the transportation of packaged goods, and the loss of packaged goods caused by their use. As a highly stable and inert polymer, PET offers excellent barrier properties, protecting it from the external environment without interfering with the packaged product. Packaging made of PET is perfect for food and beverage, as it is safe and increases shelf-life, reducing food waste and the significant environmental impact of food production. Polyethylene terephthalate packaging meets stringent food safety criteria and is an excellent form of packaging. It can be formed into a massive range of shapes, adapting well to different packaging designs with high levels of complexity, emphasizing corporate identity, or lending a distinctive shelf presence to the product it contains. It offers consumers convenience through its strength, lightweight, transparency, and safety. 

COVID-19 IMPACT

Increasing Demand for Online Shopping Fueled the PET Packaging Market Growth

During COVID-19, grocery demand changed significantly as the pandemic forced restaurants and food service establishments to close. Therefore, consumers continued to switch to grocery shopping, increasing the demand for packaging. Consumer’s desire to stock up on groceries, beverages, and home care products fuels this trend. However, demand for non-food luxury packaging has hit as stores close and consumers begin to curb spending. Thus, the pandemic has had a mixed impact on the packaging market.

LATEST TRENDS

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Growing Awareness of Eco-friendly Products is Driving the Growth of the Market  

Manufacturers face substantial challenges regarding sustainability while using plastic material for packaging products of consumer goods. However, developing plastic material with its recycling streams helps neutralize sustainability issues. In Europe, recycling rates have been improving gradually. PET is characterized by extreme lightness compared to other materials used for bottling and, more specifically, for packaging.

The European Union is leading the world's governments in accepting and adopting recycled materials to ensure 100% recyclable plastic by 2030. The EU recycling targets require the creation of 12 million tons of end markets for recycled plastic by 2025 to reach their halfway point.

The raw material for bioplastics is often renewable and biodegradable such as starch, proteins, and polylactic acid (PLA). Bioplastics are being used in commercial markets across the globe today due to the growth of available products and suppliers in recent years. All packaging plastics can be recycled at the highest rate for polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In addition to its crude oil-based components, bio-based alternatives can be used to replace some of its petroleum-based components.

PET made from bio-based materials is an efficient, economical, and effective plastic packaging solution, according to European Bioplastics. PET packaging material is elastic and contains solid fibers, making it suitable for use with containers, rigid bottles, and films. A Nestlé researcher elaborates on how the company is using 100% renewable plastic bottles to package mineral water. Due to its recyclable nature and better environmental performance, PET is being used.

DRIVING FACTORS

Food and Beverage Sector Expansion Along with Pharmaceutical Growth is Boosting Sales

Globalization has led key players in the food & beverage and pharmaceutical industries to develop unique packaging solutions that cater to consumers' needs. It is expected to grow in demand due to an increasing preference for practical and easy-to-carry solutions for protecting food during transportation. Moreover, plastic packaging is being designed for food & beverage products to ensure their safe handling. Over 90% of used PET packaging in India is recycled, according to the PET Packaging Association for Clean Environment. Single-serve PET bottles now weigh less than 10 grams yet are strong enough to hold 50 times their weight in water. In the past 10 years, the average weight of a 0.5-liter PET bottle has also decreased by 48% due to the "lightweight" characteristic of PET containers.

Increasing Customization for Brand Differentiation is Propelling the Market Growth

Customized and different-sized product packaging has become popular among consumers. The manufacturers incorporate multiple items into a single package, increasing visibility and creating a unique presence on the shelf. With the help of interactive packaging of products, the consumers get attracted. Due to PET's unique properties, it is rapidly becoming the world's preferred food and beverage packaging material. Like glass, it is a solid and inert material that does not react with food, is resistant to microbial attack, and does not biodegrade. But unlike glass, PET is lightweight, easy to carry, efficient, and shatterproof.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

Ban of Single-use Plastic by Government is Expected to Hamper the Market Growth 

As per the research, India banned the import of plastic waste in 2019 to promote the management of locally generated plastic waste. In some countries, the ban on single-use plastic will somehow hinder PET packaging sales and demand during the forecast period. Manufacturers in the packaging market use materials, such as paper, molded fiber, and others, considered biodegradable. These can hamper the PET packaging market growth in the coming years.

SEGMENTATION

By Packaging Type Analysis

Rigid Packaging Dominates the Market Due to High Consumption in the Food & Beverage Industry

The extensive usage of rigid packaging in the food & beverage industry is due to its lightweight, good stability, barrier properties, and durability. The packaging type includes rigid packaging and flexible packaging. It is owing to widespread use and growing demand from various end-use industries for manufacturing products such as bottles, jars, and containers.

By Product Type Analysis 

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Demand for PET Flexible Packaging as a Sustainable Solution to Gain Momentum

Based on product type, the market is segmented into bottles & jars, caps & closures, trays & clamshells, bags & pouches, films & wraps, sachets & stick packs, and cans & containers. In terms of market share, the films & wraps segment holds a dominant share of the global market due to the rising usage of flexible packaging in online delivery.

By End-user Analysis

Demand for PET Containers in the Food & Beverage Industry to Gain Momentum

The food & beverages segment is the dominant segment of the market. Prepared meals mainly lead the food & beverage packaging sector due to easy portability, long shelf life, and easy preparation. Prepared food consists of frozen meals, snacks, drinks, and more. Food generally requires less preparation and is cooked in warm, usable containers. The increasing demand due to the busy lifestyle of consumers and the elderly has led to the widespread use of convenience foods. Essential features that consumers look for in convenience foods are nutritional value, ease of packaging, product appeal, and product safety.

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

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The market analysis has been done across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. The North America region is likely to dominate the global PET packaging market share over the forecast period. In North America, the U.S. is projected to witness a surge in demand for plastic packaging. As per Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS), the U.S. plastics industry remained one of the economy’s largest sectors and continued to grow in 2020. The plastic products portion of the plastics industry was the eighth-largest U.S. industry in 2019. The U.S. plastics industry is significant, accounting for USD 394.7 billion in shipments in 2020.

Furthermore, due to the expanding plastic industry, adopting recyclable plastic packaging such as PET is boosting sales. In Europe, the emerging trend of ready-to-eat food consumption has increased the demand for product packaging such as single-serve and small-sized PET. According to PLASTICS EUROPE, in 2020, the turnover of the European plastic industry was USD 335 billion, which showed a slight decrease compared to the previous year, mainly due to the impact of COVID-19 crisis on the majority of customer industries. In 2021, plastic producers planned significant investments in chemical recycling technologies. The Asia Pacific region holds a significant market share of PET packaging. As per Plastic Packaging in Southeast Asia and China, PET bottles' total annual household packaging consumption is 5,474,000 tonnes in China. The rising consumption of beverages in Latin America is boosting the demand for PET packaging. In Mexico, the consumption of bottled water market was 9,959 million gallons in 2020.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

Key Participants in the Market Witnessing Significant Growth Opportunities

The global market is highly fragmented and competitive. In terms of market share, a few major players dominate the market by offering innovative packaging in the packaging industry. These major players in the market are constantly focusing on expanding their customer base across the regions.

Major players operating in the market include Berry Global, Amcor, Sonoco Products Company, Huhtamaki, and Gerresheimer. Significant companies constitute more than 50% of the market, and many regional and local players dominate the remaining market. Numerous other players operating in the industry are focused on delivering advanced packaging solutions.

List of Key Companies Profiled in the Report:

• Berry Global (U.S.)


• Amcor (Australia)


• Sonoco Products Company (U.S.)


• Huhtamaki (Finland)


• Gerresheimer (Germany)


• Klöckner Pentaplast (U.S.)


• Schur Flexibles Group (Austria)


• Clondalkin Flexible Packaging (Amsterdam)


• Constantia Flexibles (Austria)


• Novolex Holdings, Inc. (U.S.)


• Dunmore (U.S.)


• Printex Transparent Packaging (U.S.)


• MD Group (U.K.)


• PDG PLASTIQUES (France)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• April 2022 – Sidel launched PressureSAFE, a PET aerosol container for home and personal care products that is approved for recycling in traditional PET streams and claims to have a lower carbon footprint than aluminum alternatives. 


• May 2022 - A new line of 100% PET Processor Trays has been launched by Tekklex Consumer Products, which addresses common packaging challenges faced by poultry processors, particularly higher-end products labeled organic, non-GMO, or sustainably sourced. TekniPlex's new trays are made from 100% PET and contain up to 50% post-industrial recycled content. Furthermore, they are 100% recyclable, appealing to consumers' heightened sustainability awareness.


• May 2022 –Packaging solutions provider Alpla Group, in partnership with Austrian mineral water bottler Vöslauer, developed a new returnable PET bottle that reduces carbon emissions by about 30%. The fully-recyclable PET mono-material bottle weighs 55 grams and is about 90% lighter than the returnable glass.


• December 2021 - LanzaTech announced that Migros, Switzerland's largest retailer, is producing the world's first PET bottle made from captured carbon dioxide emissions that would otherwise enter the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Polyethylene terephthalate is a polyester that is molded into plastic bottles and containers to package food and beverages, personal care products, and many other consumer products.


• February 2020 - Orbital by Quinn is a food packaging solution produced using 100% recycled PET material, eliminating the non-recycled plastic found in most PET food packaging. Orbital is certified by the European Food Safety Authority as entirely suitable for food packaging applications.

REPORT COVERAGE

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The research report presents a comprehensive industry assessment by offering valuable insights, facts, industry-related information, and historical data. Several methodologies and approaches are adopted to make meaningful assumptions and views to formulate the research report. Furthermore, the report covers a detailed analysis of market segments, including packaging type, product type, end-user, and regions, helping our readers get a comprehensive global industry overview.

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