Australia Fresh Food Packaging Market - Forecasts from 2024 to 2029

The Australian fresh food packaging market is estimated to be around US$1.156 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to grow to US$1.368 billion by 2029 at a CAGR of 3.43%.

Food packaging is the process of preparing or wrapping food to keep it safe for transporting, distributing, and delivering. Various types of materials are used for packaging the food, like low and high-density polyethylene, aluminum, tin, and cardboard.

Multiple methods of food packaging are available in the market, like aseptic packaging, where food products, especially liquids, are packed into previously sterilized containers, and cans, where foods like soups, beans, and mais are packed into cans made of steel, tin, or aluminum. Other methods of food packaging include trays, bags, boxes, wrappers, and cartons.

Australia’s fresh food industry has witnessed significant growth in recent years, owing to the increase in the increasing trade of fresh food in the country. The Australian fresh food packaging industry is among the biggest in the Asia Pacific region. According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), in 2022, Australia's food and related products export accounted for about 48.9 billion dollars, which includes vegetable products worth US$ 24.8 billion, frozen and fresh bovine meat worth US$ 7.2 billion, Sheep and goat meat accounted for about US$ 3.54 billion, and raw sugar accounting for about US$ 1.22 billion. The export of the nation’s fresh foods and related food products increased significantly from US$ 41.2 billion in 2021. Similarly, the import of fresh food and related products also increased in the nation from US$ 16.3 billion in 2021 to about US$ 18.1 billion in 2022.

Apart from the trade of fresh food products, another major factor influencing the increase in the demand for the fresh food packaging industry in Australia is the growth of the nation's retail industry. According to the Australian Retailers Association, the retail economy in the nation is valued at about US$ 420 billion, with about 1.3% year-on-year growth.

The increase in the production of plastic and other packaging materials like kraft paper is another great driver for the packaging industry of the nation. According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), the nation exported about US$ 2.8 billion of plastic, rubber, and paper goods, including kraft paper, which exported about US$ 440 million, and Plastic lids, which was valued at US$ 110 million in 2022. The nation also imported the same in 2022, which was valued at US$ 18.6 billion. In this, plastic lids accounted for about US$ 1.3 billion, and raw plastic sheeting was valued at US$ 852 million dollars. The nation also imports paper containers worth US$ 492 million, which is also a main component of fresh food packaging. These materials are being used in commonly in the packaging and shipping of fresh food products.

Market Drivers:

Increasing trade of fresh food products in the nation is anticipated to push the demand for the fresh food packaging industry forward.

One of the major reasons for the increase in the Australian fresh food packaging industry is the increase in the nation's trade volume over the years. According to the World Integrated Trade Solution, the total value of food and food products imported into Australia was about US$ 11.06 billion in 2021, and in the same year, the nation exported about US$ 5.168 billion worth of the same. Most of the nation's food products imports originate from the East Asia and Pacific regions, amounting to about US$ 5.119 billion, followed by Europe and Central Asia region, which are valued at US$ 3.73 billion.

An increase in consumption of fresh food products is projected to fuel the industry’s growth rate.

One of the major drivers for the fresh food packaging market in Australia is the increase in the consumption volume of foods and its products. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, about 14.8 million tons of food and non-alcoholic beverages were sold in 2022. The increase in the consumption of food and beverages is being pushed by the increasing population and high urban population of the nation. According to the World Bank data, the total population of Australia in 2022 was about 26.005 million, with about 387,000 migrant inflow in the nation, according to Australia’s Center for Population.

Similarly, the nation’s urban population in major cities, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, accounted for about 19.343 million in 2022, with about 4.68 million population residing in the inner region of the cities. This increase in population creates a high volume of consumption increase in the food and beverages industry, pushing the demand for the fresh food packaging industry forward.

Products offered by key companies:

• Sydney Packaging Ltd: The company offers brownboard containers, carry boxes, food pails, heavy-duty containers, and sugarcane containers & trays for the fresh food packaging industry in Australia.
• Vivo Packaging: Vivo Packaging in Australia offers aluminum tins, a single material recyclable pouch, a clear foul stand-up pouch, and an all-clear stand-up pouch with a zipper.

Key Developments:

• In January 2024, LyondellBasell Australia collaborated with a group of companies to develop and create a recyclable food packaging content. It developed a prototype of a KitKat wrapper, which was made using 30% soft recycled plastic.

The Australian fresh food packaging market is segmented and analyzed as follows:

By Material Type

• Flexible plastic 
• Rigid plastic 
• Paper and paperboard

By Application

• Poultry & Meat Products
• Dairy Products
• Produce (Vegetables and Fruits)
• Sea Food