Pharmaceutical Contract Packaging Market Report 2025

The pharmaceutical contract packaging market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $31.67 billion in 2024 to $34.44 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.7%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increasing complexity of packaging regulations, need for rapid time-to-market, demand for specialized packaging solutions, globalization of pharmaceutical supply chains, cost savings and operational efficiency, flexibility in production scale.

The pharmaceutical contract packaging market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $48.13 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.7%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increased focus on sustainable packaging, demand for on-demand packaging services, customization and personalization trends, demand for child-resistant packaging, strategic investments in packaging infrastructure. Major trends in the forecast period include serialization and track-and-trace compliance, technological advancements in packaging equipment, specialization in cold chain packaging, adherence packaging for patient compliance, personalized medicine packaging, investments in digitalization and industry 4.0.

The increasing number of elderly individuals is anticipated to drive the growth of the pharmaceutical contract packaging market in the future. The elderly population refers to those aged 65 and older. As this demographic grows, manufacturers are being compelled to create packaging that is easier for seniors to open while still being child-resistant, which can lead to higher costs and impact sustainability. For example, in October 2024, the World Health Organization, a health agency based in Switzerland, reported that the global population aged 60 years and above is projected to rise significantly from 1 billion in 2020 to 1.4 billion by 2030, ultimately reaching 2.1 billion by 2050. Additionally, the number of individuals aged 80 years or older is expected to triple, reaching 426 million by 2050. Therefore, the growth in the elderly population is driving the expansion of the pharmaceutical contract packaging market.

The trend of globalization is expected to have a significant impact on the growth trajectory of the pharmaceutical contract packaging market. Globalization refers to the interconnectedness of various elements among countries, including economic, cultural, and technological exchanges. In the pharmaceutical sector, this trend necessitates standardized packaging solutions that comply with different international regulations. Contract packaging providers are essential in modifying pharmaceutical packaging to align with regional requirements and quality standards as global pharmaceutical supply chains expand. For instance, in April 2023, a report from the World Bank, a US-based international organization, indicated that around 56% of the global population, or 4.4 billion people, currently lives in cities. This trend is anticipated to continue, with the urban population expected to more than double by 2050, when nearly 70% of individuals will reside in urban areas. Therefore, globalization serves as a driving force in the pharmaceutical contract packaging market.

Technological innovation is a significant trend gaining traction in the pharmaceutical contract packaging market. Key players in this industry are focusing on developing new technological advancements to enhance their market presence. For example, in November 2022, Gerresheimer AG, a Germany-based company specializing in drug delivery systems, and Stevanato Group, an Italy-based provider of drug containment, delivery, and diagnostic solutions, introduced EZ-fill Smart. This technology ensures seamless integration with standard fill and finish operations and is suitable for both small and large batch production. The EZ-fill Smart solution aims to enhance drug packaging quality, lower total cost of ownership (TCO), and reduce lead times for customers while implementing a new eco-friendly sterilization method and utilizing biopolymers and recycled plastics.

Leading companies are forming collaborations and partnerships to solidify their position in the pharmaceutical contract packaging market. A strategic partnership is a structured association between two or more commercial entities, typically formalized through one or more business agreements or contracts. For instance, in July 2022, West Pharmaceutical Services, a US-based provider of innovative injectable drug packaging solutions, teamed up with Corning, a US-based glass innovation company, to deliver advanced packaging solutions for injectable drugs by merging Corning's glass innovations with West's packaging technology expertise. This collaboration aims to enhance packaging capabilities for high-value biologics and specialty pharmaceuticals, ensuring global safety, efficacy, and regulatory compliance for injectable therapies.

In February 2022, Recipharm, a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) based in Sweden, acquired Arranta Bio for an undisclosed sum. This acquisition is intended to enhance Recipharm's biologics capabilities, which include production services for innovative drug therapies and packaging solutions for pharmaceutical products. This strategic move is viewed as a way to strengthen their service offerings in response to the increasing global demand for contract pharmaceutical packaging and biopharma services. Arranta Bio is a US-based contract development and manufacturing company that specializes in advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs).

Major companies operating in the pharmaceutical contract packaging market are Nipro Corporation, Daito Pharmaceutical Co Ltd., Pfizer CentreOne, Catalent Inc., WestRock Company, BALL CORPORATION, Berlin Packaging, CCL Industries Inc., Co-Pak Packaging Corporation, Signode India Limited, Ropack Pharma Solutions, Reelvision Print Limited, PCI Pharma Services, Multi-Pack Solutions LLC, Unicep Packaging Inc, Reed-Lane Inc., Aphena Pharma Solutions Holdings Inc., Southwest Packaging and Supply Corporation, AbbVie Inc., Almac Group Limited, AmeriPac Inc, Assemblies Unlimited Inc., CentralPharma, DaklaPack Filling & Packaging, DelobrisPharmaceuticals Limited, Elitefill Inc., Finishing Services Inc., Jones Packaging Inc., LABO S.R.L., MJS Packaging Inc., MPH Co-Packing LLC, Nelipak B.V., Pharma Packaging Solutions LLC, Sepha Limited, SternMaid GmbH.

North America was the largest region in the pharmaceutical contract packaging market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the pharmaceutical contract packaging market report during the forecast period. The regions covered in the pharmaceutical contract packaging market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the pharmaceutical contract packaging market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Pharmaceutical contract packaging serves as a cost-efficient method for ensuring the presentation, protection, identification, convenience, compliance, integrity, and stability of products. It plays a pivotal role in product identification and shielding against potential contamination, thus significantly contributing to product safety and integrity.

The primary components of pharmaceutical contract packaging encompass primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging. Primary packaging directly interacts with the product and is often known as consumer or retail packaging. Utilizing materials like paper, paperboard, plastics, polymers, aluminum foil, glass, and other substances, primary packaging caters to small molecules, biopharmaceuticals, and vaccines, playing a crucial role in preserving and presenting pharmaceutical products.

The pharmaceutical contract packaging market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides pharmaceutical contract packaging market statistics, including pharmaceutical contract packaging industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a pharmaceutical contract packaging market share, detailed pharmaceutical contract packaging market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the pharmaceutical contract packaging industry. This pharmaceutical contract packaging market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.

The pharmaceutical contract packaging market includes revenues earned by entities in different categories, such as drug labelling and packaging. The services provided by a contract pharmaceutical packager include designing medicine packaging and testing the packed drug. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

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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