China Paper Packaging - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2024 - 2029)

The China Paper Packaging Market size is estimated at USD 87.48 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 108.36 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.37% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

The Chinese pulp and paper industry is the largest in terms of production and demand in the world. Domestic industries like e-commerce, food delivery services, etc., would continue to grow, and so will the consumption of pulp and paper products. This presents significant market entry and investment opportunities across the country.

Key Highlights

• Packaging paper makes up the largest share of paper products produced and consumed in China. The most common types of paper used for packaging are folding cartons and corrugated boxes. The growth of paper production is driven by the constant demand for paper packaging from the end-user industries across the country.
• The Chinese e-commerce industry has experienced rapid growth in the past few years. Innovations by e-commerce technologies drive entrepreneurship to benefit small and medium enterprises (SMEs). With the emergence of IT, e-commerce has become one of the most prominent business and economic trends in China in just a short period. The advantages of e-commerce include 24/7 availability, fast access, a greater variety of products and services, ease of access, and global reach. The requirement for different modes of packaging shows positive trends.
• The Chinese foodservice market is primarily driven by the rising frequency of dining out amid the time-pressed schedules of the young and working population and the increasing influence of Western dietary patterns with the presence of global companies, mainly in urban areas. The working population's accessibility to restaurants that offer quality food and services is also expected to drive the market. These factors have also led to the rapid growth of the fast-food sector in China, expanding more food chains in the quick-service sector, thus benefitting the overall market studied.
• One of the challenges encountered in the paper manufacturing industry is contamination. If paper is contaminated with other materials, such as food waste and plastic, it can make it difficult and costly to recycle and decrease the quality of the recycled product. This contamination can happen at any point in the recycling process, from collection to processing, resulting in additional costs for the industry.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened consumer concerns regarding product hygiene, sustainability, and accessibility. These shifting needs underscore the importance of a consumer-centric approach. Consequently, the demand for paper packaging is poised to rise in the post-pandemic landscape. In August 2023 report from the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) revealed that China ranks as the global second-largest e-commerce market. The number of online shoppers reached 884.1 million by June 2023, up from 533.32 million in 2017. Since early 2023, China's economy has gradually rebounded, with the E-commerce sector witnessing a resurgence.

China Paper Packaging Market Trends

Corrugated Boxes Holds Largest Market Share in the Product Type Segment

• The growing urban population, dropping pulp prices, developing e-commerce package industry, and improving population awareness about environment-friendly packaging are expected to propel the Chinese paper packaging market. The industry's key trends and developments are increased containerboard capacity and technological breakthroughs.
• As a result, new packaging materials, processes, and forms are required. Over the projection period, the rise of e-commerce behemoths like Alibaba is expected to fuel the corrugated packaging market.
• Cardboard boxes are safer for the environment than plastic or Styrofoam non-degradable and non-recyclable packaging. An increase in the domestic and international demand for electronic goods, automotive components, home care, and beauty and personal care products, coupled with China's recent government-implemented packaging guidelines, is expected to boost demand for corrugated boxes, resulting in market expansion in the upcoming years.
• With a significant rate of imports and exports, China is one of the largest trading countries in the world. Also known as the world's factory, the country's export trade for manufactured goods is again rebounding after a sudden stagnation for a brief period. With the continued growth in the export trade, the market would witness robust demand for bulk and sturdy corrugated boxes for tertiary packaging.
• Since corrugated boxes, widely used for tertiary packaging, provide a means of protecting, handling, storing, and transporting several sales units to organize everything into unit loads during transit, it is more commonly used by export firms that need to protect their products for export materials with strong layers of packaging.

Personal Care to be the Fastest Growing End-user Industry

• The personal care market in the country has been one of the fastest-growing sectors, benefitting from an increasingly committed consumer base and boosting the growth of the market studied. Consumer spending on personal care products continues to increase, enabling the trend toward adopting processed, packaged, and expensive products. Skincare and decorative cosmetics are growing, with facial care and medical skincare witnessing a strong demand. Moreover, demand for anti-aging products and those intended to protect against environmental pollution drive the market.
• According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the retail trade revenue of cosmetics in China was CNY 45.08 billion (USD 6.26 billion approximately) in June 2023, reaching CNY 54.85 billion (USD 7.62 billion approximately) in November 2023. The growth of the personal care sector in China implies a potential increase in the sales of cosmetic products. As a result, the demand for packaging materials, such as paper packaging, is likely to experience an uptick to meet the requirements of the expanding market.​
• The need for improved skin health and appearance has become a priority for many consumers, resulting in a surge in demand for skincare products. Skin care providers are expanding their business by opening new facilities nationwide. For instance, in November 2023, Nu Skin Enterprises opened a manufacturing facility in Shanghai, China. The US multilevel marketing company, whose brands include Nu Skin, Pharmanex, and ageLOC, stated that the USD 55 million facility would increase its production capacity and supply chain in China and other Asian markets. Increased demand for skin care products drives the paper packaging market in the country.
• According to SEO Agency China, in July 2023, the country's e-commerce market was one of the largest globally, with many online sales annually. This presents significant opportunities for international brands to tap into China's booming e-commerce market. Capitalizing on this growing interest in natural and organic beauty products, highlighting the brand's dedication to sustainable practices, using natural ingredients, and creating environmentally friendly packaging is expected to drive the market's growth.

China Paper Packaging Industry Overview

The Chinese paper packaging market is highly fragmented, with the presence of major players like Nine Dragons Paper (Holdings) Limited, Dongguan Vision Paper Products Co. Ltd, Rengo Co. Ltd, SIG Combibloc Group, and Shanghai Custom Packaging Co. Ltd. Market players adopt strategies like partnerships and acquisitions to increase their product offerings and gain sustainable competitive advantage.

In October 2023, SIG announced the introduction of a new on-the-go carton bottle, SIG DomeMini, in China. According to SIG, the carton bottle has been developed to combine the ease of a plastic bottle with the sustainability advantages of a standard carton pack. SIG said that the carton bottle will be launched for the Chinese market first, with plans to roll it out to other countries in the future.

In June 2023, Rengo Co. Ltd announced that its consolidated subsidiary, Tri-Wall Limited, established a subsidiary in Suining City, Sichuan Province, China, through its wholly-owned subsidiary. The new subsidiary, Tri-Wall Bozheng Packaging Technology Co. Ltd, manufactures and sells heavy-duty and general corrugated boards and cases and has started the operation of its plant. Through the Tri-Wall Group, Rengo developed its global packaging materials business related to heavy-duty corrugated packaging.

Additional Benefits:

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

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