Tobacco Packaging Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026)

The tobacco packaging market was valued at USD 16.19 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach a value of USD 19.59 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 3.32%, during the forecast period 2021-2026. Continuous product innovation in terms of ingredients, nicotine level, flavor, and size, coupled with consumer preference for tobacco as a recreative habit to reduces stress and anxiety, is propelling the adoption of tobacco and resulting in the growth of the market studied.

• Owing to the growing consumption of cigarettes and tobacco, the market for tobacco packaging is witnessing considerable growth potential. Nearly 6.5 trillion cigarettes are being sold across the world every year, which translates to roughly 18 billion cigarettes per day. Furthermore, there are 1.1 billion tobacco consumers globally, according to the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). This number is anticipated to grow to 1.6 billion over the next two decades.
• Furthermore, the packaging market for tobacco has been witnessing mandatory regulations regarding avoiding attractive packaging and adopting plain packaging. The market for tobacco packaging has witnessed a significant shift toward plain packaging over the past eight years . According to WHO, plain packaging is a considerable demand reduction measure that reduces the attractiveness of tobacco products, restricts the use of tobacco packaging as a form of tobacco advertising and promotion, limits misleading packaging and labeling, and increases the effectiveness of health warnings .
• The spread of COVID-19 has impacted tobacco packaging market negatively, as the disease attacks lungs and people are prohibiting the use of products and behaviors that weakens the lungs and put individuals at risk of contracting the disease. The decreased demand of tobacco products combined with the closure of retail shops selling these products and supply chain disruptions have brought the sales down since the spread of the virus. This decreased demand is anticipated to stay low in the short run impacting tobacco packaging directly

Key Market Trends

Secondary Packaging to Witness Significant Demand

• Like other sensitive goods, tobacco products such as cigarettes require packaging, which provides barrier properties to deliver the product in optimum condition. Secondary packaging, such as flexible packaging, has eventually become the traditional packaging for tobacco and typically includes functionality such as re-closable or re-sealable laminated film pouches and bags. These packs have a new flow-wrapped outer film, all contributing to the barrier requirements.
• Vendors in the market are rapidly expanding their manufacturing plants, intending to increase their production capacity, and gain a larger share of the industry revenue pie. For instance, in February 2019, a new folding carton plant was inaugurated by Smurfit Kappa Group Plc in Tijuana, Mexico. Boxes, trays, and other folding carton materials are being manufactured at this facility for industrial, consumer electronics, food and beverage, medical, and tobacco industries.
• However, government regulations and anti-smoking campaigns are prevalent globally, and prohibitive taxation & regulations have increased over the last few years, which has to lead to a decline in cigarette consumption. As a result, tobacco packaging is expected to post a slow CAGR during the forecast period. For instance, Singapore has adopted plain packaging of tobacco products, which is implemented with immediate effect from 1 July 2020. The Ministry of Health Singapore stated that the measure would contribute to achieving broader tobacco control goals in the country by discouraging non-smokers and children from taking up smoking, encouraging current smokers to quit, and promoting a tobacco-free lifestyle, which will ultimately lead to reduced smoking prevalence.
• This new measure will restrict the use of logos, colors, images, or other promotional information associated with the tobacco brand on all types of tobacco products sold in Singapore. Product and brand names will be allowed in a standardized font style and color.
• Regardless of the macro factors, such as booming retail sector, increase in online sales, technological advancements, and other factors, like an increase in several new smokers, etc. are expected to contribute to the demand for tobacco packaging products in the market.

Asia Pacific to Hold a Major Share

• Asia-Pacific is anticipated to register a significant share, owing to the presence of widespread population consuming tobacco. The presence of the largest tobacco consuming country, China, with over 300 million smokers, has been significantly contributing to the market studied.
• Furthermore, the country produces colorful and attractive tobacco packages, unlike several other countries producing plain packages. There is a high prevalence of cigarette packets bearing images of famous rivers, maintains, rare and precious national treasures, well-known buildings, historical sites, and rare flowers. For instance, the major Chinese cigarette brands, including Panda, Peony, Chunghwa, Mount Huangshan, and The Pavilion of Prince Teng, have such designs or images on their packaging.
• Characteristics such as these, of the tobacco industry in China, encourage a brand and visual culture that is fundamentally different from those of other countries. The signs and graphics on cigarette packaging not only carry a strong and deep sense of the history of traditional culture but also integrate a sense of national pride, which encourages the use of tobacco, thereby augmenting the market for tobacco packaging in the country.
• The increase in regulations regarding the adoption of plain packaging and graphic regarding warnings of tobacco usage in the region has been significantly restraining the market studied. For instance, in May 2020, The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India notified new sets of specified health warnings for all tobacco product packs by amending the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labeling) Rules, 2008 vide GSR 248(E), dated April 13, 2020.

Competitive Landscape

The major companies include WestRock CompanyWest, Amcor Limited, The International Paper Company, Smurfit Kappa Group PLC, Phillip Morris International Inc., and Sonoco Products Company, among others. The market is neither fragmented nor consolidated because there is no major competition among players. Therefore market concentration will be moderate.

• In May 2020, Stora Enso Oyj announced to launch Box Inc, a digital B2B marketplace for carton packaging made of renewable materials. Box Inc is a new platform business designed to help companies source packaging easily online while enabling suppliers to access new customers without having to create their own digital presence​.
• In June 2019, Amcor completed the acquisition of Bemis. As a result, Amcor strengthened its position in consumer packaging, enjoying even greater attraction for talent, global reach, scale, and technical capabilities.

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