The global smart food packaging market size is estimated to be valued at USD 26.42 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 35.69 billion by 2029 at a CAGR of 6.2%. According to Mondi (UK) 2023 report, the global packaging market is valued at approximately USD 1 trillion annually, with Europe and North America accounting for nearly half of this demand. Paper-based and plastic-based packaging each comprise about 40% of the global market, while metal and glass constitute the remainder. Consumer applications, such as food, beverages, health care, and cosmetics, account for about 60% of global packaging demand, while industrial and transport uses account for 40%. The growth of the packaging market is estimated to be 2 - 4% structurally through economic cycles, driven by GDP, changes in consumption trends, and a growing demand for sustainable products and eCommerce expansion.
This consistent growth of the global packaging market highly drives the smart food packaging industry, which is particularly based on a demand for solutions that support food safety, extended shelf life, and sustainability. Some of the major opportunities in the industry result from the growing need for intelligent and active packaging technologies, Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), nanotechnology, and biodegradable solutions. The complexities of the global food supply chain, increasing urbanization, and a drive to reduce food waste contribute to a high demand for innovative packaging. In addition, the thrust to green packaging solutions in relation to sustainability objectives supports smart packaging adoption globally, hence setting it for strong growth.
Polyethylene, polypropylene, and PET are used widely due to their barrier properties, with pliable characteristics, preventing any contamination risks and ensuring food safety, and longer shelf life. Advancements in recyclable and biodegradable plastics are gaining momentum along with the increase in environmental concerns, hence driving demand for sustainable packaging solutions. North America and Asia-Pacific are the significant adopters of plastic-based smart packaging, which is further fueling the growth of the market.
The USDA, in its report of November 2024, further mentioned that agriculture, food, and related industries contributed approximately USD 1.530 trillion in 2023 to the U.S. GDP. This totals 5.6 percent of the economy. This demonstrates the food industry's importance in the economy and further calls for effective packaging solutions for efficiency and sustainability.
As the North American food sector continues to expand, particularly in grocery and specialty stores, the need for advanced food packaging solutions is expected to rise. Technologies like active packaging, modified atmosphere packaging, and intelligent packaging are meeting consumer demands for extended shelf life, food safety, and traceability. Moreover, heightened awareness around food and plastic waste is creating opportunities for developing more sustainable packaging alternatives. The growth of this market is fueled by technological innovations and a shift in consumer preference toward environmentally friendly packaging options.
The report covers information about the key factors, such as drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges impacting the growth of the smart food packaging market. It also provides a detailed analysis of the major players in the market, including their business overview, products offered; key strategies; partnerships, new product launches, expansions, and acquisitions. Competitive benchmarking of upcoming startups in the smart food packaging market is covered in this report.
This consistent growth of the global packaging market highly drives the smart food packaging industry, which is particularly based on a demand for solutions that support food safety, extended shelf life, and sustainability. Some of the major opportunities in the industry result from the growing need for intelligent and active packaging technologies, Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), nanotechnology, and biodegradable solutions. The complexities of the global food supply chain, increasing urbanization, and a drive to reduce food waste contribute to a high demand for innovative packaging. In addition, the thrust to green packaging solutions in relation to sustainability objectives supports smart packaging adoption globally, hence setting it for strong growth.
Disruptions in Smart Food Packaging Market:
- Integration of IoT and Smart Sensors: The Internet of Things (IoT) and digital technologies such as QR codes, NFC tags, and RFID sensors enable real-time tracking and traceability and interaction with the consumer, are changing the face of smart food packaging. IoT-enabled smart labels monitor temperature, humidity, and food freshness for safety and reduced food waste. These technologies also involve consumers by providing them with detailed product information and transparency via smartphones. This disruption brings about growth in connected packaging solutions that assist brands to improve customer experience, guarantee quality control, and increase trust in the supply chain.
- Growth of Biodegradable and Edible Packaging: The growth of biodegradable and edible packaging mirrors the growing demand for sustainable alternatives in the packaging industry. With plastic pollution concerns increasing, these innovations provide an environmentally friendly solution that maintains food safety and prolongs shelf life. Biodegradable packaging is made from natural materials such as seaweed, starch, and proteins and breaks down safely. Edible packaging enhances convenience by providing consumers with the option of having waste-free consumption. This disruptive trend, therefore, aligns with the regulatory pressure and consumer preferences for sustainability, positioning brands to capitalize on growing opportunities in the market for innovation and environmental responsibility.
Intelligent packaging is expected to have highest CAGR in the packaging type segment throughout the forecast period.
Rapid expansion in the intelligent packaging market is influenced by advancements in technology, increasing demand from consumers for convenience, and awareness regarding food safety. Some key technologies are sensors, RFID, and temperature indicators. These enable real-time monitoring that ensures freshness and minimizes the risk of spoilage. It caters to the interests of both consumers and businesses, thus promoting market growth furthered by the growing trend of e-commerce and efficient management of the supply chain. The adoption of this product is very high in North America and Europe because of strict food safety norms and demand for sustainable packaging solutions. On the other hand, Asia-Pacific has been growing rapidly because of the rate of urbanization, consumer preference changes, and an increase in retail businesses. Prominent players like Amcor plc (Switzerland), Sealed Air (US), and THE TETRA LAVAL GROUP (Switzerland) have capitalized on these opportunities.Plastic holds largest market share by material segment in the smart food packaging market.
Plastic is the leader of the market in terms of material in the smart food packaging market because of the characteristics such as versatility, low price, and durability. Plastics can be molded into different forms; besides, they are also known for their lightweight properties. In active and intelligent packaging applications, plastics are highly ideal due to these properties.Polyethylene, polypropylene, and PET are used widely due to their barrier properties, with pliable characteristics, preventing any contamination risks and ensuring food safety, and longer shelf life. Advancements in recyclable and biodegradable plastics are gaining momentum along with the increase in environmental concerns, hence driving demand for sustainable packaging solutions. North America and Asia-Pacific are the significant adopters of plastic-based smart packaging, which is further fueling the growth of the market.
The North America accounts for largest market share in the region in the smart food packaging market.
The North American smart food packaging market is set to experience growth with increasing factors like food sales and demand for sustainable, convenient, and safe packaging solutions. As reported by the USDA in November 2023, in 2019, the retail food stores in the U.S. sold USD 717 billion of food and nonfood products, with grocery stores selling 92.1% of these. This strong market serves to illustrate the demand for packaging that will serve the needs of large food retailers.The USDA, in its report of November 2024, further mentioned that agriculture, food, and related industries contributed approximately USD 1.530 trillion in 2023 to the U.S. GDP. This totals 5.6 percent of the economy. This demonstrates the food industry's importance in the economy and further calls for effective packaging solutions for efficiency and sustainability.
As the North American food sector continues to expand, particularly in grocery and specialty stores, the need for advanced food packaging solutions is expected to rise. Technologies like active packaging, modified atmosphere packaging, and intelligent packaging are meeting consumer demands for extended shelf life, food safety, and traceability. Moreover, heightened awareness around food and plastic waste is creating opportunities for developing more sustainable packaging alternatives. The growth of this market is fueled by technological innovations and a shift in consumer preference toward environmentally friendly packaging options.
The break-up of the profile of primary participants in the smart food packaging market:
- By Company Type: Tier 1 - 55%, Tier 2 - 25%, and Tier 3 - 20%
- By Designation: Directors - 15%, Managers - 25% and Others - 60%
- By Region: North America - 40%, Europe - 35%, Asia Pacific - 20%, and Rest of the World - 5%
Research Coverage:
This research report categorizes the smart food packaging market by Packaging Type (Active Packaging, Intelligent Packaging, Modified Atmosphere Packaging, Bioactive Packaging and Other Packaging Type), Application (Beverages, Fruits & Vegetables, Meat, Poultry & Seafood, Baked & Confectionary Products, Milk & Dairy Products, Processed Foods and Other Applications), Functionality (Barrier Protection, Moisture and Gas Control, Temperature Regulation, Food Safety Monitoring, Shelf-Life Extension, Consumer Interaction and Engagement and Product Authentication), Material (Plastic, Paper & Paperboard, Metal, Glass and Other Material Types), and Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and Rest of the World).The report covers information about the key factors, such as drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges impacting the growth of the smart food packaging market. It also provides a detailed analysis of the major players in the market, including their business overview, products offered; key strategies; partnerships, new product launches, expansions, and acquisitions. Competitive benchmarking of upcoming startups in the smart food packaging market is covered in this report.
Reasons to buy this report:
The report will help the market leaders/new entrants in this market with information on the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall smart food packaging market and the subsegments. This report will help stakeholders understand the competitive landscape and gain more insights to position their businesses better and plan suitable go-to-market strategies. The report also helps stakeholders understand the pulse of the market and provides them with information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities.The report provides insights on the following pointers:
- Analysis of key drivers (Technological advancements enabling smart features like temperature sensors and freshness indicators, and Rising consumer preference for convenience and extended shelf life of packaged food), restraints (Limited infrastructure for recycling smart packaging materials globally, and Consumer resistance to adopting new packaging solutions due to unfamiliarity), opportunities (Development of biodegradable and edible packaging to replace traditional plastic packaging, Expansion of e-commerce driving demand for smart packaging in food deliveries, and Increasing regulatory pressure encouraging the adoption of sustainable food packaging solutions), and challenges (Ensuring cost-effective production while maintaining high-tech features in smart packaging) influencing the growth of the smart food packaging market.
- Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on upcoming technologies, research & development activities, and new product launches in the smart food packaging market.
- Market Development: Comprehensive information about lucrative markets - the report analyses the smart food packaging market across varied regions.
- Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the smart food packaging market.
- Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market shares, growth strategies, and service offerings of leading smart food packaging market players such as Amcor plc (Switzerland), Mondi (UK), Sealed Air (US), Berry Global Inc. (US), Toyo Seikan Group Holdings, Ltd. (Japan), THE TETRA LAVAL GROUP (Switzerland), Crown (US), 3M (US), MITSUBISHI GAS CHEMICAL COMPANY, INC. (Japan), Multisorb (US), Huhtamäki Oyj (Finland), Timestrip UK LTD (UK), Stepac (Israel), Checkpoint Systems, Inc. (US), and Novipax Buyer, LLC (US) among others. The report also helps stakeholders understand the smart food packaging market and provides them with information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Research Methodology
4 Premium Insights
5 Market Overview
6 Industry Trends
7 Smart Food Packaging Market, by Application
8 Smart Food Packaging Market, by Functionality
9 Smart Food Packaging Market, by Material
10 Smart Food Packaging Market, by Packaging Type
11 Smart Food Packaging Market, by Technology
12 Smart Food Packaging Market, by Region
13 Competitive Landscape
14 Company Profiles
15 Adjacent & Related Markets
16 Appendix
List of Tables
List of Figures
Companies Mentioned
- Amcor PLC
- Sealed Air
- Berry Global Inc.
- The Tetra Laval Group
- Mondi
- Toyo Seikan Group Holdings, Ltd.
- Crown
- 3M
- Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc.
- Multisorb
- Huhtamäki Oyj
- Stepac
- Checkpoint Systems, Inc.
- Novipax Buyer, LLC
- Timestrip UK Ltd
- Insignia Technologies Ltd.
- Varcode
- Tipa Ltd
- Flexible Packaging Solutions
- Notpla
- Vitsab International Ab
- Tempix Ab
- Biowrap
- IT's Fresh Limited
- Kelp Industries Ltd
Table Information
| Report Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| No. of Pages | 305 |
| Published | January 2025 |
| Forecast Period | 2024 - 2029 |
| Estimated Market Value ( USD | $ 26.42 Billion |
| Forecasted Market Value ( USD | $ 35.69 Billion |
| Compound Annual Growth Rate | 6.2% |
| Regions Covered | Global |
| No. of Companies Mentioned | 25 |
