Global Single Use Packaging Market Overview, 2024-2029

The global single-use packaging market consists of a wide range of materials and solutions developed to package products securely and conveniently with minimum harm to the environment. Initially, single-use packaging was very simple and typically made of simple materials such as glass, metal, or early plastics used to hold and preserve. The market changed completely as consumer demand switched to convenience and green credentials. Advanced materials sciences and the manufacturing technologies involved in single-use packaging have been rapidly developing in recent years.

New types of materials include biodegradable and compostable packaging solutions and new designs that create less waste and allow the products inside to remain fresh for a longer period of time. Trends, moving forward, with growing global economies and busier consumer lifestyles, are toward ever more demand for packaging that is easy to use, portable, and offers convenience - for on-the-go consumption, as is more common in urban environments. The aviator believes that with the rise of urban populations and increase in disposable income levels, the growth of the single-use packaging market will be boosted.

Very fast digital infrastructure growth and awareness about sustainability practices among consumers are developing high in the emerging economies of Asia-Pacific, South America, and the Middle East. This trend, therefore, forces manufacturers and brands to make an investment in sustainable packaging solutions in line with defined regulatory standards and consumer preference for eco-friendly products. Single-use packaging innovation remains driven by functionality, impact on the environment, and regulatory compliance.

From bioplastics and recyclable materials to smart packaging technologies that monitor freshness and safety, vendors are leveraging new technologies and market insights to stay ahead. Modern organizations are increasingly embracing safer and more socially responsible single-use packaging practices, considering growing concerns of environmental sustainability, regulatory requirements, and consumer dislike for non-ethical consumption. It shall put greater emphasis on responsible sourcing of packaging material, reduction of waste generation, and generally the promotion of resource efficiency and a circular economy.

According to the report, the market is anticipated to cross USD 56 Billion by 2029, increasing from USD 40 Billion in 2023. The market is expected to grow with 5% CAGR by 2024-29. It is driven by increased awareness of environmental issues and pressing needs for practical solutions in the field of sustainable packaging. High-visibility initiatives and policy actions setting a tone toward plastic pollution reduction and environmentally friendly practice also set the market demand. Innovative technologies and materials help manufacturers develop tailor-made environmentally responsible single-use packaging solutions that ensure a wide variety of consumer preferences and numerous regulatory requirements.

Single-use packaging innovates through consumer engagement and education. Other than informative labeling, some manufacturers are adopting interactivity in packaging solutions with quick response codes for recycling instructions and augmented reality experiences to enhance consumer awareness on proper disposal. Improvements in packaging design and new manufacturing processes have helped single-use packaging products exude enhanced efficiency and durability, and more advanced aesthetic features.

Automated lines of production, digital printing technologies, and smart packaging innovations guarantee a rise in product safety and traceability, prolong shelf life, and fulfill the diverse needs of global consumers across the industries of food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, and personal care. The core tenets to which resilience and reliability are considered for the single-use packaging market, just as incident response and business continuity are in cybersecurity. Since worries about product safety concerns, resilience of supply chains, and regulatory compliance demands are deepening, packaging solutions that remain resilient to logistical challenges throughout their distribution and consumption cycles, minimize environmental impacts, and ensure product integrity become paramount.

Market Drivers

• Convenience and Portability: Modern consumers' fast-paced lifestyles prioritize ease of use and disposability, making single-use packaging highly desirable. This demand is particularly evident in the food and beverage sector, where products like ready-to-eat meals, single-serve beverages, and snacks are packaged in convenient, disposable formats. The portability of single-use packaging also appeals to consumers who are frequently on the move, enhancing their experience with easily accessible and manageable packaging.
• Smart and Active Packaging:Technological advancements have introduced smart packaging solutions that enhance product safety, extend shelf life, and provide consumers with valuable information. Smart packaging features such as QR codes, RFID tags, and NFC chips enable consumers to access product information, verify authenticity, and trace the product's journey. Active packaging incorporates elements like oxygen absorbers, moisture control, and antimicrobial agents to preserve product quality and safety, particularly in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Market Challenges

• Pollution and Waste: Single-use plastics are a significant contributor to global pollution, with millions of tons ending up in oceans and landfills each year. This accumulation leads to severe environmental impacts, including harm to marine life and contamination of natural ecosystems. Addressing this challenge requires a shift towards more sustainable packaging solutions and improved waste management practices to reduce the environmental footprint of single-use packaging.
• Raw Material Shortages:The single-use packaging industry heavily relies on raw materials like petroleum-based plastics. Fluctuations in the availability and price of these materials, driven by geopolitical tensions, natural disasters, and economic instability, can disrupt production and increase costs. These disruptions necessitate strategies to diversify supply sources and mitigate risks associated with raw material shortages.
• Logistics and Transportation:Global supply chains are complex and vulnerable to disruptions. Events such as the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the fragility of these systems, causing delays and shortages in packaging supplies. Ongoing logistics challenges, including transportation bottlenecks, labor shortages, and increased shipping costs, affect the timely delivery of packaging materials and products, posing significant operational challenges for manufacturers.

Market Trends

• Biodegradable and Compostable Packaging:The trend towards using biodegradable and compostable materials in single-use packaging is growing to reduce environmental impact. These materials are designed to break down more quickly and safely compared to traditional plastics, reducing long-term waste accumulation. For instance, bioplastics made from renewable resources like cornstarch and polylactic acid (PLA) are increasingly adopted, along with compostable packaging made from plant fibers such as sugarcane, bamboo, and palm leaves.
• Recyclability:Packaging designs are increasingly emphasizing recyclability, with manufacturers opting for materials that can be easily processed through existing recycling systems. Innovations in recycling technologies, such as chemical recycling and advanced sorting methods, are enhancing the ability to recycle materials that were previously difficult to process. This trend is supported by increased investments in recycling infrastructure and policies encouraging the collection and recycling of packaging materials.

The trend of opting for green and sustainable packaging has boosted demand tremendously within the single-use packaging market for paper and paperboard.

As the world becomes increasingly aware of the ecological impacts caused by plastic pollution, consumers and governments alike move towards sustainable packaging solutions. Paper and paperboard are therefore an interesting solution on their own: they are biodegradable, recyclable, and originate from renewable resources. These materials much more readily degrade in the environment, reducing long-term accumulation of wastes and thus lessening their ecological footprint. It results in improving the strength, durability, and versatility of these products - from food containers and cups to beverage cartons to shopping bags - due to continuous improvements in the process for manufacturing paper and paperboard.

The improvements now enable paper-based packaging to deliver on many aspects of functionality enacted by plastic, while tugging at the heartstrings of the environmentally conscious consumer. Much more, the brands take in paper and paperboard packaging into their CSRrn contributions toward sustainability. In this direction, achieving certifications such as FSC for responsibly sourced paper positively increases their market appeal. Paper and paperboard also show better tactile and esthetic features, therefore synonymous with excellent branding opportunities to produce outstanding, attractive packaging that makes an instant impression on the mentality of consumers.

As the interplay between paper-based packaging production plays itself according to the precepts of the circular economy, fomenting recycling and reuse, companies are thus aided towards meeting prescribed regulatory and consumer expectations. The pursuit for sustainability, supported by technological innovation and consumer demand, fosters an increased demand for paper and paperboard within single-use packaging in this pursuit of minimal environmental footprints of businesses and serves the environmentally sensitive market segment.

Growth in the beverage sector of the single-use packaging market is prompted by consumer demand for further convenience, portability, and on-the-go consumption.

As people increasingly seek quick and easy consumption options, so single-use beverage packaging - bottled water, ready-to-drink coffees and teas, energy drinks, and soft drinks - has also become more frequent. It is this kind of packaging solution that corresponds to the requirement for on-the-go beverage consumption and hence easily fits into the daily routine of a busy person. Through its portability, the single-use beverage container has added to this big ebb and flow paired with every drink, anywhere, anytime consumers commute, exercise, travel, and run errands. Undoubtedly, the ability to carry a throwaway bottle or can is unbeatable, which makes single-use packaging the only choice for many.

The portability is relevant outdoors, at events, and during gatherings where carrying reusable containers might be a problem. The demand has been accelerated by the increasing popularity of e-commerce and food delivery services. Effective and disposable packaging is at the core of these online platforms, as it lets beverages reach consumers in a safe, hygienic, and appealing way. Single-use packaging provides protection during transit, ensuring the maintenance of quality and freshness for beverages. That is quite important during times of rapidly developing delivery services when quick and reliable ways of packaging are required. An health-related driver that has driven the demand for single-use beverage packaging is health consciousness.

Functional beverages, such as vitamin-infused waters, protein shakes, and plant-based drinks, have grown in popularity and are almost always packaged in single-use containers. Functional beverages are beverages that provide a definitive physiological benefit to a consumer's diet in addition to simply quenching thirst or satisfying hunger. They, for example, contain probiotics that support gut health or proteins that help the body produce amino acids. They also include beverages with added minerals and vitamins, like flavored sparkling water. These health-focused beverages meet the needs of health-focused consumers seeking quick, healthy drinks to suit fast-paced modern life, who need single-use packaging to ensure ready availability and easy access and to retain the nutritional value of these beverages.

Increasingly, the demand for convenience and ready-to-eat products, coupled with a strong consumer preference for sustainable and innovative packaging, is priming this region's growth in the single-use packaging market.

Busy lifestyles and on-the-go consumption led to demand acceleration from the food and beverage sectors for single-use packaging. This is especially true for single-use packaging of products, particularly pre-packaged snacks, beverages, and takeout or ready-to-eat meals, which need to conform to the expectations of consumers who want quick, easy, and portable products. Demand is fueled by established retail and foodservice establishments, such as fast food chains and convenience store chains, along with e-commerce websites in the area that dramatically increase the demand for fast, trouble-free, and reliable packaging in an effort to maintain product safety and quality.

A major factor is that strong consumer demand in North America serves as a force behind the growth of single-use packaging. As consumer awareness regarding the environment increases, so does the quest for ecologically low-impact package formats. This is what has driven companies to start using biodegradable, compostable, and recyclable materials and innovative designs in packaging for their products, so as to meet the expectation of consumers and remain compliant with environmental regulations.

This interest in new developments is highly responsive within the North American market, which has a robust infrastructure for recycling and waste management initiatives and a conducive regulatory environment where sustainability practices are empowered. Technological innovations in both packaging materials and manufacturing processes, which have made a great contribution to this growth. Improvements such as better barrier technologies, lightweight materials, and smart packaging solutions all enhance single-use package functionality and appeal. The technologies improve product shelf-life, safety, and convenience while responding to environmental concerns. The power of digital printing and personalization techniques lets brands produce both personalizable and display packaging that gives them the edge within this highly competitive consumer goods market.

• In April 2023, Seal Package has announced the launch of Infinity Top Seal - a one-piece, recyclable packaging solution for food service and deliveries. Infinity Top Seal is made from Klöckner Pentaplast's monolithic, heat-sealed packaging solution from a heat-resistant polypropylene expandable lid with a sealable film.
• In March 2023, Burger King's German restaurants are introducing single-use polypropylene cups, which are both recyclable and reusable, to conserve packaging resources and reduce waste generated by single-use cups. The cups are intended to be used in the establishment's beverages, milkshakes, and ice cream, and the RECUP deposit system facilitates the implementation of these cups.
• In March 2022, The Ardagh Group collaborated with Constellation Brands Inc. to design and produce a wine bottle with elaborate decorations for its Crafters Union brand. The 750ml Claret wine bottle with 360-degree decoration, made by Ardagh Group, has excellent shelf appeal in a high-quality, environmentally friendly glass bottle.
• In May 2021, European thermoforming packaging specialist Waddington Europe, a division of Novolex, upgraded its TamperVisible range of protective packaging products by adding a pioneered Hot Fill option. The TamperVisible range of products reassures the end-user that the food inside is as safe as the day it was prepared.

Years considered in this report:

• Historic year: 2018
• Base year: 2023
• Estimated year: 2024
• Forecast year: 2029

Aspects covered in the report:

• Single Use Packaging market outlook with its value and forecast, along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Material Type:

• Plastic
• Paper and Paperboard
• Glass
• Other Material Types (Metals and Wood)

By End-user Industry:

• Food
• Beverage
• Personal Care
• Pharmaceutical
• Other End-user Industries

The approach of the report:

This report consists of a combined approach of primary and secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and list the companies that are present in it. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, annual reports of companies, and government-generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources, primary research was conducted by conducting telephone interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducting trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. After this, the research team made primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting them in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once the research team attained the primary data, they verified the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended Audience

This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations, and organizations related to the Single Use Packaging industry, government bodies, and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing and presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.