India E-Commerce Packaging Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023-2028)

The Indian e-commerce packaging market is projected to register a CAGR of 12.97% during the forecast period. E-commerce is one of the largest end users of packaging in the country, exploiting the opportunities in the packaging landscape, driven by a young demographic profile with increasing internet penetration and relatively better economic performance in the past few years.

Key Highlights

• This rapid growth in the e-commerce market is principally driven by the consumer electronics, fashion, apparel, and personal care industries. Considerable investments in consumer electronics, personal care, and fashion and apparel are creating scope for the expansion of packaging opportunities.
• The rising omnichannel business model in the country, where one can shop online and offline, has also boosted the e-commerce market. Omnichannel retailers, such as Shoppers Stop Ltd and Infiniti Retail Limited Croma, are experiencing growth in their sales. They also provide faster delivery with lower shipping costs of packaging as they can ensure delivery from their offline stores in the city.
• To boost the participation of foreign players in the e-commerce landscape, the Indian government hiked the limit of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the e-commerce marketplace model up to 100% (in B2B models).
• The expansion of the e-commerce packaging business needs to be improved by a lack of awareness in rural areas, and online platform distrust also affects goods purchases made online. This trend is preventing the e-commerce packaging sector from growing. A weak foundation and a lack of technological expertise hinder the expansion of the e-commerce packaging sector.
• With the COVID-19 outbreak, the Indian e-commerce packaging industry witnessed a significant decline in growth due to the lockdown in the country. This factor restricted the movement of e-commerce goods and disrupted the supply chain in the country.

India E-Commerce Packaging Market Trends

Protective Packaging to Witness Significant Market Growth

• The demand for protective packaging in the Indian e-commerce industry is set to witness unprecedented growth due to the rapid strides in consumer electronics sales in e-retailing. According to IBEF, consumer electronics is currently the most significant contributor to online retail sales in India, with a 48% share contributing to the market's growth.
• These protective packaging products are designed and constructed to protect the goods from atmospheric, magnetic, electrostatic, vibration, or shock damage. Protective packaging protects machinery, equipment, and industrial goods from harm while being stored and transported. It also provides security through the void fill, wrapping, flexible cushioning, blocking and bracing, defensive containment, and surface defense.
• Protective packaging is used in various applications, such as food, electronics, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. Products include boxes or storage containers, packing materials, liners, and spacers. Flexible products, such as air pillows, paper fill, bubble packaging, and mailers, are expected to be the primary product beneficiaries of rapid growth in the e-commerce market.
• Protective airbags for sending mobile phones, accessories, boxes, etc., are widely used in the e-commerce segment as they help protect goods from damage during transit. Companies, such as Vijay Packaging System, provide these types of packaging. They are made of polypropylene for the e-commerce segment. The company's air tube bags are inflatable airbags used for transporting jars, bottles, and containers, especially for use in cosmetic products.

Fashion and Apparel Accounts for Significant Market Share

• With media exposure, rising awareness, and increasing disposable income, Indian consumers are looking to get access to global fashion brands. The limited reach of brands through brick-and-mortar retail outlets in smaller cities provides an opportunity for online retailers.
• India's e-retail market is anticipated to develop at one of the quickest rates in the world because of significant investment in the area and a sharp rise in internet users. According to IBEF, apparel and lifestyle comprise a share of approximately 29% (including footwear, bags, belts, wallets, watches, and jewelry) in India.
• According to Apparel Sourcing Week, the Indian fashion retail market is set to account for USD 115 billion by 2027, which may aid the growth of e-commerce packaging. Corrugated boxes are ubiquitous and are widely used packaging materials for the e-commerce industry in the apparel segment, as the material is solid and highly durable.
• For instance, Arihant Agencies provides a corrugated box (outer brown box) for the apparel sector in an e-commerce platform, which keeps the product safe and secure while storing and shipping. This secondary packaging is available in different sizes and styles and with other specifications.
• The company also provides courier bags designed to protect products and deliver them to the desired destination. These bags are lightweight, water-resistant, and cost-effective. They are also biodegradable, tamper-proof, transparent, and recyclable.

India E-Commerce Packaging Market Competitor Analysis

The Indian e-commerce packaging market is fragmented, thus increasing competitive rivalry in the market. However, design, technology, and application innovation can lead to a sustained competitive advantage. Several developments have been made in the market due to the rising demand from the fashion, garment, and consumer electronics industries, giving the industry a highly competitive position. Packman Packaging and Oji India Packaging Pvt Ltd are the major players.

• August 2022 - Storopack announced a new air cushion film, AIRplus Bio Home Compostable film, which increases the focus on sustainability, as it fulfills the definitions of bioplastics. It is partly bio-based, using the natural and renewable resource starch, and home compostable. The extremely lightweight air cushions reduce shipping weight and plastic waste by closing the natural cycle.

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• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
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