The empty capsules market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $3.21 billion in 2024 to $3.5 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.2%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to changing consumer preferences, favorable economic conditions, impact of Russia-Ukraine war, industry entry barriers, geriatric population.
The empty capsules market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $5.28 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.8%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to market size growth, market consolidation, ethical concerns and stringent regulations, increasing demand for nutraceuticals, market dynamics. Major trends in the forecast period include product innovations, sustainable sourcing, use in vegetarian and vegan products, patient population and chronic disease treatments, regional dominance.
An increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases is anticipated to drive the growth of the empty capsules market in the future. Chronic diseases typically last three months or longer and may worsen over time. Some of the most common chronic diseases include cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and arthritis. Empty capsules are utilized to deliver a wide range of medications without altering their formulation, ensuring effective drug delivery while not interfering with any drug's composition. For instance, in January 2022, research from the American Cancer Society, a U.S.-based health organization, projected that there would be 609,360 cancer deaths and 1.9 million new cancer cases in the U.S. in 2022, equating to approximately 1,670 deaths each day. Consequently, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases is contributing to the growth of the empty capsules market.
The expanding pharmaceutical industry is expected to enhance the growth of the empty capsule market moving forward. The pharmaceutical industry encompasses the sector of the economy involved in researching, developing, manufacturing, and marketing medications and other medical products aimed at treating, preventing, or alleviating health conditions. Driven by its need for flexible, patient-friendly drug delivery solutions and compatibility with diverse formulations, the growing pharmaceutical sector stimulates a strong demand for empty capsules, highlighting their essential role in adapting to evolving industry requirements as companies explore innovative drug delivery methods. For example, in December 2022, a report from Statistics Canada, a government agency in Canada, indicated a 2.8% increase in sales in the personal and household goods subsector in October 2022, totaling $11.6 billion for the third consecutive month. This growth was mainly propelled by the pharmaceuticals and pharmacy supplies sector, which saw a 3.9% increase, reaching $6.4 billion, the highest level since January 2022. Therefore, the expanding pharmaceutical industry is driving the growth of the empty capsule market.
Product innovations are becoming a significant trend in the empty capsules market. Leading companies in the empty capsules sector are creating new products to enhance their market position. For example, in August 2023, Bright Pharma Caps Inc., an India-based pharmaceutical company, introduced Bright-Poly, the world's first certified organic capsules made from USDA-certified organic pullulan. This product specifically addresses a need for organic encapsulation options within the nutritional supplement industry. Bright-Poly capsules consist of NOP-certified organic pullulan, purified water, and alginates, ensuring they are free from surfactants and chemical additives typically found in conventional capsules.
Key companies in the empty capsule market are adopting innovative technologies, such as opacifying technology, to reach broader customer bases, increase sales, and boost revenue. Opacifying technology refers to additives or substances used to render a material or system opaque. For instance, in May 2022, Lonza Group AG, a manufacturing company based in Switzerland, launched titanium dioxide-free (TiO2-free) white hard gelatin capsules. The unique feature of these new hard gelatin capsules is their ability to achieve a bright white color while complying with titanium dioxide-free regulations for food products in the European Union. This innovative capsule employs an alternative opacifying technology, offering an outstanding masking solution and excelling at protecting the fill formulation from light exposure.
In August 2022, Catalent, a US-based pharmaceutical company, acquired Metrics Contract Services for $475 million. This acquisition aims to enhance Catalent's high-potent capabilities as well as its oral development and manufacturing capacity. Metrics Contract Services is a pharmaceutical development company based in North Carolina that specializes in empty hard gelatin capsules.
Major companies operating in the empty capsules market are ACG Group, CapsCanada Corporation, HealthCaps India Limited, Natural Capsules Ltd., Bright Pharma Caps Inc., Suheung Co. Ltd., Roxlor LLC, Lonza Group AG, Goerlich Pharma GmbH, Qualicaps Inc., Comed Chemicals Limited, Wuhan Carma Technology Co. Ltd., Nectar Lifesciences Ltd., Erawat Pharma Limited, Medi-Caps Ltd., Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation, Snail Pharma Industry Co. Ltd., Sunil Healthcare Ltd., Shanxi Guangsheng Medicinal Capsule Co. Ltd., Aenova Group GmbH, Capsuline Inc., Farmacapsulas SA, Health Pharma, JC Biotech Pvt. Ltd., Lefan Capsule International Inc., Nipro Capsule Co. Ltd., Qingdao Yiqing Medicinal Capsules Co. Ltd., Shaoxing Kangke Capsule Co. Ltd., Sunloc Industrial Co. Ltd.
North America was the largest region in the empty capsules market in 2024. The regions covered in the empty capsules market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the empty capsules market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
Empty capsules are gelatin or vegetarian shells designed to enclose powders or granules for pharmaceutical and dietary supplements. They provide a convenient and tasteless delivery method for various medications, enabling accurate dosages. Capsules can also enhance the stability of sensitive ingredients and increase patient compliance.
The primary varieties of empty capsules include gelatin and non-gelatin capsules. Gelatin capsules are crafted from animal protein and are adept at delivering precise quantities of products. These capsules function in various release formats like immediate, sustained, and delayed-release. They find extensive applications in antibiotics, antibacterial drugs, dietary supplements, antacids, antiflatulents, anti-anemic preparations, anti-inflammatory drugs, cardiovascular therapies, cough and cold medications, and numerous other pharmaceutical products. End-users benefiting from these capsules encompass the pharmaceutical industry, nutraceutical industry, cosmetic industry, and research laboratories.
The empty capsules market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides empty capsules market statistics, including empty capsules industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with an empty capsules market share, detailed empty capsules market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the empty capsules industry. This empty capsules market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.
The empty capsules market consists of sales of hard gelatin capsules, soft gelatin capsules, fish gelatin capsules, starch capsules, pullulan capsules, polyvinl acetate (pva) capsules, and liquid-filled hard capsules (LFHC). 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.
This product will be delivered within 3-5 business days.
The empty capsules market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $5.28 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.8%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to market size growth, market consolidation, ethical concerns and stringent regulations, increasing demand for nutraceuticals, market dynamics. Major trends in the forecast period include product innovations, sustainable sourcing, use in vegetarian and vegan products, patient population and chronic disease treatments, regional dominance.
An increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases is anticipated to drive the growth of the empty capsules market in the future. Chronic diseases typically last three months or longer and may worsen over time. Some of the most common chronic diseases include cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and arthritis. Empty capsules are utilized to deliver a wide range of medications without altering their formulation, ensuring effective drug delivery while not interfering with any drug's composition. For instance, in January 2022, research from the American Cancer Society, a U.S.-based health organization, projected that there would be 609,360 cancer deaths and 1.9 million new cancer cases in the U.S. in 2022, equating to approximately 1,670 deaths each day. Consequently, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases is contributing to the growth of the empty capsules market.
The expanding pharmaceutical industry is expected to enhance the growth of the empty capsule market moving forward. The pharmaceutical industry encompasses the sector of the economy involved in researching, developing, manufacturing, and marketing medications and other medical products aimed at treating, preventing, or alleviating health conditions. Driven by its need for flexible, patient-friendly drug delivery solutions and compatibility with diverse formulations, the growing pharmaceutical sector stimulates a strong demand for empty capsules, highlighting their essential role in adapting to evolving industry requirements as companies explore innovative drug delivery methods. For example, in December 2022, a report from Statistics Canada, a government agency in Canada, indicated a 2.8% increase in sales in the personal and household goods subsector in October 2022, totaling $11.6 billion for the third consecutive month. This growth was mainly propelled by the pharmaceuticals and pharmacy supplies sector, which saw a 3.9% increase, reaching $6.4 billion, the highest level since January 2022. Therefore, the expanding pharmaceutical industry is driving the growth of the empty capsule market.
Product innovations are becoming a significant trend in the empty capsules market. Leading companies in the empty capsules sector are creating new products to enhance their market position. For example, in August 2023, Bright Pharma Caps Inc., an India-based pharmaceutical company, introduced Bright-Poly, the world's first certified organic capsules made from USDA-certified organic pullulan. This product specifically addresses a need for organic encapsulation options within the nutritional supplement industry. Bright-Poly capsules consist of NOP-certified organic pullulan, purified water, and alginates, ensuring they are free from surfactants and chemical additives typically found in conventional capsules.
Key companies in the empty capsule market are adopting innovative technologies, such as opacifying technology, to reach broader customer bases, increase sales, and boost revenue. Opacifying technology refers to additives or substances used to render a material or system opaque. For instance, in May 2022, Lonza Group AG, a manufacturing company based in Switzerland, launched titanium dioxide-free (TiO2-free) white hard gelatin capsules. The unique feature of these new hard gelatin capsules is their ability to achieve a bright white color while complying with titanium dioxide-free regulations for food products in the European Union. This innovative capsule employs an alternative opacifying technology, offering an outstanding masking solution and excelling at protecting the fill formulation from light exposure.
In August 2022, Catalent, a US-based pharmaceutical company, acquired Metrics Contract Services for $475 million. This acquisition aims to enhance Catalent's high-potent capabilities as well as its oral development and manufacturing capacity. Metrics Contract Services is a pharmaceutical development company based in North Carolina that specializes in empty hard gelatin capsules.
Major companies operating in the empty capsules market are ACG Group, CapsCanada Corporation, HealthCaps India Limited, Natural Capsules Ltd., Bright Pharma Caps Inc., Suheung Co. Ltd., Roxlor LLC, Lonza Group AG, Goerlich Pharma GmbH, Qualicaps Inc., Comed Chemicals Limited, Wuhan Carma Technology Co. Ltd., Nectar Lifesciences Ltd., Erawat Pharma Limited, Medi-Caps Ltd., Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation, Snail Pharma Industry Co. Ltd., Sunil Healthcare Ltd., Shanxi Guangsheng Medicinal Capsule Co. Ltd., Aenova Group GmbH, Capsuline Inc., Farmacapsulas SA, Health Pharma, JC Biotech Pvt. Ltd., Lefan Capsule International Inc., Nipro Capsule Co. Ltd., Qingdao Yiqing Medicinal Capsules Co. Ltd., Shaoxing Kangke Capsule Co. Ltd., Sunloc Industrial Co. Ltd.
North America was the largest region in the empty capsules market in 2024. The regions covered in the empty capsules market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the empty capsules market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
Empty capsules are gelatin or vegetarian shells designed to enclose powders or granules for pharmaceutical and dietary supplements. They provide a convenient and tasteless delivery method for various medications, enabling accurate dosages. Capsules can also enhance the stability of sensitive ingredients and increase patient compliance.
The primary varieties of empty capsules include gelatin and non-gelatin capsules. Gelatin capsules are crafted from animal protein and are adept at delivering precise quantities of products. These capsules function in various release formats like immediate, sustained, and delayed-release. They find extensive applications in antibiotics, antibacterial drugs, dietary supplements, antacids, antiflatulents, anti-anemic preparations, anti-inflammatory drugs, cardiovascular therapies, cough and cold medications, and numerous other pharmaceutical products. End-users benefiting from these capsules encompass the pharmaceutical industry, nutraceutical industry, cosmetic industry, and research laboratories.
The empty capsules market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides empty capsules market statistics, including empty capsules industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with an empty capsules market share, detailed empty capsules market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the empty capsules industry. This empty capsules market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.
The empty capsules market consists of sales of hard gelatin capsules, soft gelatin capsules, fish gelatin capsules, starch capsules, pullulan capsules, polyvinl acetate (pva) capsules, and liquid-filled hard capsules (LFHC). 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.
This product will be delivered within 3-5 business days.
Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary2. Empty Capsules Market Characteristics3. Empty Capsules Market Trends and Strategies4. Empty Capsules Market - Macro Economic Scenario Including the Impact of Interest Rates, Inflation, Geopolitics, and the Recovery from COVID-19 on the Market32. Global Empty Capsules Market Competitive Benchmarking and Dashboard33. Key Mergers and Acquisitions in the Empty Capsules Market34. Recent Developments in the Empty Capsules Market
5. Global Empty Capsules Growth Analysis and Strategic Analysis Framework
6. Empty Capsules Market Segmentation
7. Empty Capsules Market Regional and Country Analysis
8. Asia-Pacific Empty Capsules Market
9. China Empty Capsules Market
10. India Empty Capsules Market
11. Japan Empty Capsules Market
12. Australia Empty Capsules Market
13. Indonesia Empty Capsules Market
14. South Korea Empty Capsules Market
15. Western Europe Empty Capsules Market
16. UK Empty Capsules Market
17. Germany Empty Capsules Market
18. France Empty Capsules Market
19. Italy Empty Capsules Market
20. Spain Empty Capsules Market
21. Eastern Europe Empty Capsules Market
22. Russia Empty Capsules Market
23. North America Empty Capsules Market
24. USA Empty Capsules Market
25. Canada Empty Capsules Market
26. South America Empty Capsules Market
27. Brazil Empty Capsules Market
28. Middle East Empty Capsules Market
29. Africa Empty Capsules Market
30. Empty Capsules Market Competitive Landscape and Company Profiles
31. Empty Capsules Market Other Major and Innovative Companies
35. Empty Capsules Market High Potential Countries, Segments and Strategies
36. Appendix
Executive Summary
Empty Capsules Global Market Report 2025 provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.This report focuses on empty capsules market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
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Description
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for empty capsules? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward? The empty capsules market global report answers all these questions and many more.The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market’s historic and forecast market growth by geography.
- The market characteristics section of the report defines and explains the market.
- The market size section gives the market size ($b) covering both the historic growth of the market, and forecasting its development.
- The forecasts are made after considering the major factors currently impacting the market. These include:
- The forecasts are made after considering the major factors currently impacting the market. These include the Russia-Ukraine war, rising inflation, higher interest rates, and the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Market segmentations break down the market into sub markets.
- The regional and country breakdowns section gives an analysis of the market in each geography and the size of the market by geography and compares their historic and forecast growth. It covers the growth trajectory of COVID-19 for all regions, key developed countries and major emerging markets.
- The competitive landscape chapter gives a description of the competitive nature of the market, market shares, and a description of the leading companies. Key financial deals which have shaped the market in recent years are identified.
- The trends and strategies section analyses the shape of the market as it emerges from the crisis and suggests how companies can grow as the market recovers.
Scope
Markets Covered:
1) by Type: Gelatin Capsules; Non-Gelatin Capsules2) by Functionality: Immediate-Release Capsules; Sustained-Release Capsules; Delayed-release Capsules
3) by Application: Antibiotic and Antibacterial Drugs; Dietary Supplements; Antacid and Antiflatulent Preparations; Antianemic Preparations; Anti-inflammatory Drugs; Cardiovascular Therapy Drugs; Cough and Cold Drug Preparations; Other Therapeutic Applications
4) by End-User: Pharmaceutical Industry; Nutraceutical Industry; Cosmetic Industry; Research Laboratories
Subsegments:
1) by Gelatin Capsules: Hard Gelatin Capsules; Soft Gelatin Capsules2) by Non-Gelatin Capsules: Vegetable Capsules; Pullulan Capsules; Other Plant-Based Capsules
Key Companies Mentioned: ACG Group; CapsCanada Corporation; HealthCaps India Limited; Natural Capsules Ltd.; Bright Pharma Caps Inc.
Countries: Australia; Brazil; China; France; Germany; India; Indonesia; Japan; Russia; South Korea; UK; USA; Canada; Italy; Spain
Regions: Asia-Pacific; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; North America; South America; Middle East; Africa
Time Series: Five years historic and ten years forecast.
Data: Ratios of market size and growth to related markets, GDP proportions, expenditure per capita.
Data Segmentation: Country and regional historic and forecast data, market share of competitors, market segments.
Sourcing and Referencing: Data and analysis throughout the report is sourced using end notes.
Delivery Format: PDF, Word and Excel Data Dashboard.
Companies Mentioned
Some of the major companies featured in this Empty Capsules market report include:- ACG Group
- CapsCanada Corporation
- HealthCaps India Limited
- Natural Capsules Ltd.
- Bright Pharma Caps Inc.
- Suheung Co. Ltd.
- Roxlor LLC
- Lonza Group AG
- Goerlich Pharma GmbH
- Qualicaps Inc.
- Comed Chemicals Limited
- Wuhan Carma Technology Co. Ltd.
- Nectar Lifesciences Ltd.
- Erawat Pharma Limited
- Medi-Caps Ltd.
- Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation
- Snail Pharma Industry Co. Ltd.
- Sunil Healthcare Ltd.
- Shanxi Guangsheng Medicinal Capsule Co. Ltd.
- Aenova Group GmbH
- Capsuline Inc.
- Farmacapsulas SA
- Health Pharma
- JC Biotech Pvt. Ltd.
- Lefan Capsule International Inc.
- Nipro Capsule Co. Ltd.
- Qingdao Yiqing Medicinal Capsules Co. Ltd.
- Shaoxing Kangke Capsule Co. Ltd.
- Sunloc Industrial Co. Ltd.
Table Information
| Report Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| No. of Pages | 200 |
| Published | February 2025 |
| Forecast Period | 2025 - 2029 |
| Estimated Market Value ( USD | $ 3.5 Billion |
| Forecasted Market Value ( USD | $ 5.28 Billion |
| Compound Annual Growth Rate | 10.8% |
| Regions Covered | Global |
| No. of Companies Mentioned | 30 |
