South Africa Fresh Food Packaging Market - Forecasts from 2023 to 2028

The South African fresh food packaging market is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 5.14% from US$1,060.328 million in 2021 to US$1,506.005 million by 2028.

The demand for fresh food packaging is driven by the rising health consciousness, growing population, and increasing disposable income. Additionally, the rising demand for environmentally friendly and sustainable packaging solutions drives the adoption of recyclable and biodegradable packaging materials. Further, expanding distribution networks and urbanization are projected to fuel market growth. In addition, the increasing trend of health and wellness is expected to cause the market to grow throughout the projected period.

Moreover, new packaging strategies have been created due to developments in packaging technology that can better preserve food, increase shelf life, and cut down on packaging waste. Moreover, there is a rising need for environmentally friendly and sustainable packaging options as customers become more ecologically aware.

The South African fresh food packaging market is driven by increasing demand for fresh food and rising government expenditure.

Fresh, healthful, and easily accessible food options are becoming popular among consumers, leading to an increasing need for fresh food products that are packaged to maintain their nutritional content and freshness. Further, South Africa's food industry is thriving and diverse, offering a diverse variety of vegetation types, biodiversity, temperatures, and soil types, making it a wonderful source of food for both that nation and other nations worldwide. However, a new level of significance has been placed on fresh food packaging due to rising food waste. One-third of the 31 million tonnes of food produced yearly in South Africa, 10 million tons, is wasted.

To provide fresh items to customers while reducing food waste, the whole food sector, from farmers to retailers, significantly relies on packaging. Food quality can be maintained, and food loss can be minimized through packaging during transportation and storage. It is simple to handle, secure to transport, and resistant to damage and holes. The food's authenticity and quality are preserved with the packaging solution. Moreover, the country's need for convenient food items is being driven by rising household spending, which will further boost the market for fresh food packaging in the future. The average disposable income of households in South Africa in 2021 was ZAR 50,000, which increased from ZAR 47,830 in 2020, according to the South African Reserve Bank.

Market Developments:

• According to the report by Packaging and Print Media, the Industry voice of Africa in 2021, Amcor South Africa and Adex Plastics & Machinery, two companies with a strong reputation for providing flexible film and packaging solutions in South Africa, are both expanding their efforts to include sustainable paper board materials for fresh food packaging. Amcor South Africa is committed to responsible manufacturing and is investing in paper board materials that offer strong and lightweight packaging with a lower carbon footprint. Adex Plastics & Machinery, with over 40 years of experience in supplying plastics processing machinery, is now also investing in paper-based options for packaging.

The paper and board segment is expected to witness robust growth during the forecast period.

Paper and board products for the South African fresh food packaging market have seen a boom in demand, driven by rising factors such as growing population and urbanization, which has led to an increase in demand for convenience food and on-the-go snacks. Furthermore, rising consumer awareness of the importance of food safety and hygiene, changing lifestyles, increasing disposable incomes, and introduction of new technologies and innovative packaging solutions have all fueled the demand for high-quality packaging solutions. According to a report by the Bioresources Engineering School of Engineering University of KwaZulu-Natal in June 2021, fresh fruits and vegetables are agricultural goods that spoil quickly. Fresh agricultural product is packaged to extend shelf life during transit and storage. Fresh fruits and vegetables are frequently packaged in paper board films. Paper and paperboard are the most often used packaging materials in the South African food business.

Based on applications, the poultry and meat products segments will expand over the next six years.

The segment has seen steady growth in recent years, driven by several key factors. One significant factor is the increasing demand for meat and poultry products in South Africa, driven by population growth, rising incomes, and changing dietary preferences. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), SouAfrica'sa's poultry industry has experienced significant growth in recent years owing to the increase in SouAfrica'sa’s chicken meat production. This growth in meat and poultry production has been accompanied by increasing demand for safe and convenient packaging solutions, particularly in urban areas where consumers value convenience and hygiene. As a result, the South African fresh food packaging industry has seen significant investment in new packaging technologies and materials to meet the demands of the market. One example of this is the increasing use of vacuum packaging in the South African meat and poultry industry, which helps to extend the shelf life of fresh products by removing oxygen from the packaging. As a result, vacuum packaging is becoming increasingly popular in South Africa, particularly for high-value meat products such as beef fillets and lamb chops.

Market Segmentation:

BY MATERIAL

• Plastic
• Paper and Board
• Glass
• Metal

BY APPLICATION

• Poultry and Meat Products
• Dairy Products
• Produce ( Vegetables and Fruits)
• Seafood
• Others