United States Trash Bags - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2024 - 2029)

The United States Trash Bags Market size is estimated at USD 2.87 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 3.45 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 3.69% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

Key Highlights

• Trash bags are used to sort, store, remove, and dispose of waste or garbage. Plastic trash bags are lightweight and great for uncollected or wet rubbish, as is often the case with food waste. They are also great for wrapping trash to reduce odor. Trash bags are commonly used to line litter bins, waste compartments, or receptacles. They are used in every home and business, whether to throw away kitchen scraps or used paper. They are made of low-density polyethylene, which is delicate, flexible, waterproof, and airtight.
• The purchasing power of consumers has increased the demand for convenient, odor-resistant, and cost-effective trash bags for collecting garbage, intentionally increasing the market size of trash bags. The growing number of people living in cities is creating a significant need for garbage bags owing to the expanding food, beverage, and pharmaceutical sectors. This need and demand from businesses and households will likely drive the market growth over the next few years.
• The increase in housing facilities in the country encourages the usage of garbage bins in homes; this, along with the growing attention to cleanliness and hygiene, has increased the need for trash bags. Also, trash bags have become more prevalent in hospitals and dorms because they are easy to find and cheap to buy in stores.
• However, governments and related regulatory bodies are imposing plastic bans to reduce the plastic footprint. The resulting prohibition of plastic usage may drastically affect the trash bag market. The bans on plastic trash bags allow manufacturers to develop biodegradable or recyclable trash bags to support their business activities, thereby boosting the market's growth.
• Thus, increasing consumer demand for eco-friendly and easy-to-dispose trash bags and government initiatives will boost market growth. Awareness of environment-friendly products is expected to boost the demand for disposable garbage bags.
• Baxter International Inc., an innovator in infusion therapy and technologies, announced the successful completion of phase 1 of its intravenous pilot program for trash bag recycling in December 2023. In partnership with Northwestern Medicine, Chicago’s leading integrated academic health system, the pilot program diverted more than 6 tons (12,000 pounds), equivalent to enough IV trash bags to cross the entire city of Chicago, from landfill to reuse for a second life. This was the first pilot program to be launched in the United States.

United States Trash Bags Market Trends

The Residential Sector Holds the Largest Market Share

• The country’s fast-growing economy mainly drives the residential sector. Many cities and states with strong job growth and diversified industries are seeing increased housing demand, resulting in higher prices. The country's changing demographics also influence the market’s growth.
• As the boomers hit retirement age, with many downsizing or moving away from their homes, the housing demand is shifting to different locations and properties throughout the country. This residential growth trend throughout the country creates growth opportunities for trash bags used in every house to maintain hygiene and cleanliness.
• According to the United States-based sustainable packaging firm Revolution, the average American family produces 18 pounds of waste. Every year, 100 billion plastic bags are thrown away and end up in landfills. This implies a robust demand for strong, durable, eco-friendly trash bags for residential purposes.
• The way waste is handled is significantly influenced by government policies and measures. This has a significant impact on the trash bags market. The government has introduced legislation to promote responsibility for waste management and deal with the increasing garbage and pollution issues with the growing residential space in the United States.
• With the growing population in the United States, people are shifting from single-family residents to multi-family residential areas. Multi-family homes are called duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes. They are mainly named after the number of units they comrise. Thus, people in the region are spending money on constructing multi-family living spaces. The cost of this type of construction was USD 80.40 billion in 2017, which increased to USD 119.27 billion in 2023.
• Thus, the growing residential space in the United States, the growing population, and increasing problems of food waste and other garbage in the locality create a constant demand for trash bags. In addition, following government plans to use biodegradable bags also boosts the growth of the market in the region.

The Commercial Sector is Expected to Witness the Highest Growth Rate

• Retail, convenience stores, healthcare, food service, hospitality, and office buildings are critical establishments within the commercial sector that constitute a significant market share. As per the US Census Bureau, in 2023, total retail and food service sales reached USD 8.33 trillion for the first time in the United States, an increase from USD 5.99 trillion in 2018.
• About 30% of the food in American grocery stores is thrown away. The US retail sector generates about 16 billion pounds of food waste annually. Wasted food from the retail sector is valued at about twice the profit from food sales (according to the US Department of Agriculture). Recently, organizations have become more conscious of managing and reducing their waste. Although some organizations are satisfied with having a trash removal or disposal system, the more proactive organizations are putting more effort into managing their waste.
• The public and waste workers may be exposed to health risks from negligent disposal of needles and other sharp objects. Discarded needles may cause waste workers to be exposed to the risk of needlestick injuries or possible infections if containers are opened in a garbage truck or mistakenly thrown into recycling centers. This implies a strong demand for high-quality trash bags that can bear the sharpness and decrease the risk of injuries while handling.
• The increasing number of websites offering a variety of disposable bin liners has increased the demand for these products. In addition, online retailing of disposable garbage bags and various other products is growing in popularity as it is cost-effective and time-saving to purchase products. Online sales are expected to drive the growth of disposable trash bags during the forecast period.
• The United States spends more on healthcare than any other country, with costs accounting for around 18% of the GDP. Prior studies estimated that approximately 30% of healthcare spending might be considered waste. Despite efforts to reduce overtreatment, improve care, and address overpayment, substantial waste in the healthcare sector still remains. Biohazard waste is kept in red bags and containers, whereas infectious waste is kept in plastic bags. Such factors contribute to the demand for trash bags.
• For commercial establishments, including multi-family dwellings of four or more units and non-residential commercial buildings, the use of clear plastic sheeting for collecting recyclables in trash bins is permitted. These plastic liners are not recyclable per se but are now accepted for convenience in commercial operations. Commercial establishments are not prohibited from using clear trash bags, but recyclers may choose not to accept them.

United States Trash Bags Industry Overview

The US trash bag market is semi-consolidated. The major players in the market include Berry Global Inc., Hefty (Reynolds Consumer Products LLC), Inteplast Group, Novolex, and Riverside Paper Co. The market players are concentrating on expanding their reach with strategic initiatives such as mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, capacity expansions, and product innovations.

• April 2024: Revolution, Sustainable Loop Plastic Solutions, unveiled the introduction of Dailygood Bags, which are eco-friendly heavy-duty trash bags made for regular use. Unlike trash bags that are made without recycled material, Dailygood Bags can be made with up to 97% recycled plastic resin, which has a much lower environmental impact.
• November 2023: Reynolds Consumer Products, the creator of Hefty Ultra Strong trash bags, announced the launch of Hefty Ultra Strong Fabuloso Scented Tall Kitchen Trash Bags across the food, beverage, and non-food industries. The bags are made with secure fit closure and have continuous odor control by Arm & Hammer. They are available in sizes of 13 tall kitchen containers and 30 gallons of big-capacity containers.

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