Retort Packaging Market Report 2026

The retort packaging market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $4.66 billion in 2025 to $5.02 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.7%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to expansion of processed food consumption, growth of convenience food demand, adoption of thermal sterilization packaging, increased use of flexible packaging formats, expansion of packaged food distribution.

The retort packaging market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $6.69 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing demand for preservative-free packaged foods, rising focus on sustainable retort materials, expansion of aseptic packaging applications, growing investments in advanced barrier films, increasing adoption of recyclable retort packaging. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing adoption of high-barrier retort pouches, rising demand for long shelf-life food packaging, growing use of lightweight retort materials, expansion of ready-to-eat food packaging, enhanced focus on heat-resistant packaging structures.

The rising demand for ready-to-eat or ready meals worldwide is driving the growth of the retort packaging market. Ready-to-eat food products are fully prepared foods that can be consumed immediately without additional cooking or preparation. Retort packaging, known for preserving the quality and safety of food products while extending shelf life, has become a preferred solution for packaging these items. For example, in July 2025, the Agriculture and Agri-Food Department Canada, a Canada-based government agency, reported that in 2024, the food and beverage processing sector remained the country’s largest manufacturing industry by production value, generating $173.4 billion in goods. This accounted for 20.3% of all manufacturing sales and contributed 1.6% to the national GDP. Exports of processed food and beverage products reached a record $59.8 billion, up 3.8% from 2023, representing 34.5% of the industry’s total production value. Consequently, the increasing global demand for ready-to-eat meals is supporting the growth of the retort packaging market.

Leading companies in the retort-packaging manufacturing market are focusing on innovative solutions, such as recyclable retort pouches, to address the growing demand for sustainable and circular-economy packaging. Recyclable retort pouch technology utilizes mono-material structures instead of traditional multi-layer laminates, allowing easier recycling while maintaining safety and durability for high-heat sterilization and storage. For example, in April 2023, Huhtamäki Oyj, a Finland-based flexible-packaging company, introduced Blueloop, an innovative mono-material flexible-packaging platform. Blueloop packaging is made entirely from recyclable mono-materials, eliminating the need for conventional multi-layer laminates that impede recyclability. This solution supports sustainability and circular-economy goals by reducing material complexity, waste, and environmental impact.

In December 2025, ProMach Inc., a U.S.-based provider of packaging machinery solutions, acquired DFT Technology GmbH for an undisclosed amount. Through this acquisition, ProMach aimed to enhance its portfolio in food processing and thermal treatment technologies, providing more integrated end-to-end solutions to global food manufacturers. DFT Technology GmbH is a Germany-based company specializing in equipment for retort packaging and thermal processing.

Major companies operating in the retort packaging market are Amcor Ltd., Coveris Flexibles UK Ltd., Sonoco Products Company, Mondi Group Plc, Berry Global Group Inc., Clondalkin Group, Tredegar Corp., Flair Flexible Packaging Corporation, ProAmpac Holdings Inc., Huhtamaki Oyj, Clifton Packaging Group Pvt Ltd., Winpak Ltd., HPM Global Inc., Avonflex Pvt Ltd., Alliedflex Technologies Inc., Constantia Flexibles International GmbH, AB Tetra Pak, Techni-Pak LLC, Fujimori Kogyo Co Ltd., Pyramid Packaging Pvt Ltd., Printpack Inc., Scholle IPN India Packaging Pvt Ltd.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the retort packaging market in 2025. The regions covered in the retort packaging market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the retort packaging market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The retort packaging market consists of the sales of pouches, trays, cartons, and other retort packaging. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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