Aseptic Packaging Market Size

Aseptic Packaging Market Overview

The Aseptic Packaging Market Size was valued at USD 59.57 Billion in 2023. The aseptic packaging industry is projected to grow from USD 63.42 Billion in 2024 to USD 108.75 Billion by 2032, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.97% during the forecast period (2024 - 2032).

The global aseptic packaging market is driven by factors such as growing demand from the food & beverage industry, proliferation of the packaging industry, and need to extend the shelf life of products. However, fluctuation in raw material prices is expected to restrain the market growth. Increasing demand in emerging economies are expected to create opportunities for market players.

COVID-19 Impact

The demand for packaging has decreased considerably from the industrial sectors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The packaging industry also witnesses a mixed impact owing to the significant changes in on-premises and off-premises business. The packaging manufacturers supply their products for the packaging of various products in pharmaceuticals, food, beverages, and personal care industries. Many food chain outlets, such as cafes and restaurants, are entirely closed in countries across the world, which is significantly impacting the packaging industry. The manufacturing plants have shut down due to restrictions, shortage of labor and raw materials, and other factors.

In September 2023, SIG began construction on its first-ever aseptic carton plant in India. It is expected that by 2025, the factory will be fully functional and will then be capable of producing up to four billion packs per year of aseptic cartons once it has been built. This capacity could further increase to ten billion packs annually if additional investments are made.

Aseptic Packaging Market Dynamics

Drivers

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  Growing demand from the food & beverage industry

  
  

The food & beverage industry mainly includes beverages, pet foods, packaged foods, tobacco products, and other food items. Currently, there has been a rise in the demand for food and beverage products due to the growing consumption of immunity-boosting foods, rising demand for premium and organic food, the use of digital platforms for marketing, and rising demand for stored food products, along with the growing population with high disposal income. The growth in the demand for aseptic packaging market can be directly attributed to the growth of the food & beverage industry. The growing demand for food transparency, online shopping options, and organic food choices has widely impacted the global aseptic packaging market.

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  Proliferation of the packaging industry

  
  


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  Need to extend the shelf life of products

  
  

Restraints

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  Fluctuation in raw material prices

  
  

The materials predominantly used in aseptic packaging are plastic, polymer, polystyrene, glass, paper, and aluminum. The raw material prices are highly dependent on the availability of raw materials, global and local demand and supply trends, and government regulations. The prices of polymer and aluminium are highly volatile, which would eventually affect the packaging cost. Additionally, due to this fluctuation, the financial performance of the company can adversely be affected.

Opportunity

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  Increasing demand in emerging economies

  
  

In the last few years, several emerging economies, such as India, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Brazil, have witnessed significant growth in the pharmaceutical sector. The pharmaceutical industry in these countries is proliferating due to the high demand for medicines, drugs, and other products. The large population in these countries, rising health awareness, and growing demand for hospitals and healthcare centers in these countries have fueled the growth of the packaging market. Moreover, emerging economies are presently gaining the attention of several foreign players to set up their businesses through FDI incentive schemes, which will boost the economy of these countries and intensify the impact of industrialization. Hence, it can be concluded that industrialization and urbanization in developing countries offer lucrative investment opportunities to the aseptic packaging market players.

Aseptic Packaging Market Segment

By Material

• Plastic

Plastic is used for aseptic packaging due to its barrier properties and chemical inertness. They can be used to create attractive packages with aesthetic appeal, which helps promote and market aseptic packaging products. Furthermore, the increased adoption of plastic packaging can be attributed to various factors such as their cost-efficiency, lightweight, and corrosion resistance. Plastic can be easily molded into various forms per the packaging requirements for pharmaceutical substances and equipment, such as capsules, tablets, sterile injections, and solutions & suspensions.

• Paper & Paperboard

Paper & paperboard packaging are divided into different grades according to their characteristics. Thus, pharmaceutical industries choose the paper & paperboard packaging grade according to their needs and requirement. Some of the popular grades of paperboard packaging are solid bleached sulfate (SBS), coated unbleached kraft paperboard (CUK Board), and MET- PET board. Paper & paperboard is mainly used for secondary packaging of pharmaceutical products. Manufacturers are shifting towards sustainable packaging solutions, including paper & paperboard packaging, over plastic and steel materials, due to supportive government regulations, uncomplicated manufacturing process, low costs of manufacturing, and easy availability of material.

• Metal

An ultra-thin layer of metal provides a barrier against light and oxygen, eliminating the need for refrigeration. Metal cans are sterilized and treated using superheated steam at temperatures of up to 232 °C for up to 40s before being filled with cold, sterile products. Aseptic packaging keeps food safe and fresh without refrigeration

• Glass

Glass is one of the most preferred packaging materials for aseptic products. It is extensively used in pharmaceutical industries to package different types of products, such as injection syringes for a unit or multidose administration, bottles, and prefilled syringes. Glass has many beneficial properties, making it suitable for packaging products. Furthermore, glass packaging provides better protection to the drug formulation against air and moisture, thus preventing the drug from contamination. Additionally, glass has a nearly zero rate of chemical interactions, ensuring that the products inside a glass bottle will not react with anything and change their characteristics.

By Type

• Cartons

To provide the requisite protection, the tetrahedral cartons were manufactured with an extra layer of thin (9-m) aluminum, allowing the milk to be preserved for up to 6 months without the need for refrigeration. Liquid-tight, hermetically sealed brick-shaped cartons are widely used for the aseptic packaging of a wide range of liquid foods, including milk, juices, soups, and wines, to give packs that will retain the product in a commercially sterile state for years. The end of shelf life (usually 6–9 months) is determined by organoleptic changes resulting from undesirable chemical and physical reactions.

• Bottles & Cans

The bottles & cans segment is expected to lead the global aseptic packaging market during the forecast period, owing to the increasing demand for over-the-counter drugs and oral medicines. Generally, the bottles are made of plastic or glass. The growing aseptic packaging market in emerging economies, increasing demand for liquid medications, and rapid technological advancements in packaging are some of the factors driving the bottles segment.

• Bag & Pouches

Aseptic bag is a type of packaging material produced by polyethylene particles as raw material, blown film, cutting, heat sealing, vacuum packaging, and sterilization in a clean environment. They are perfect packaging materials for juices, jams, dairy products, and other foods. The aseptic pouches are small flexible bag-type packaging. These pouches can be used for various applications, including the packaging of liquids and drugs.

• Vials & Ampoules

Vials are small cylindrically shaped glass bottles used to store medication items, including liquids, capsules, and powders. The rising need to preserve the integrity of crime scenes by criminal investigators and the application of vials in forensic labs drive the demand for vials in the global aseptic packaging market. Ampoules refer to a small glass airtight sealed capsule containing a measured amount of medicine, primarily liquid, to inject into someone. Ampoules are sealed at the neck, and it is suitable for storing unstable chemical compounds to protect them from exterior elements such as air, water, and moisture.

• Prefillable Syringes

Prefilled syringes provide greater patient safety by reducing the potential for accidental needle sticks and exposure to toxic products that can occur while drawing medication from vials. Prefilled syringes, with their premeasured dosage, can help reduce dosing errors and increase patient compliance. Prefilled syringes can also help reduce the manufactures need to overfill, unlike vials that are overfill by as much as 20–30% to account for potential waste. This is particularly important where the manufacturing and product costs are high and bulk manufacturing capacity is low.

By Application

• Food

Food aseptic packaging is defined as enclosing food to protect from contamination from chemical, physical, and biological sources. The aseptic packaging process is used for various food products and beverages, such as milk, soup, tomatoes, and pudding. It is also widely used in the pharmaceutical industry to ensure that medications aren't polluted with harmful bacteria. A wide range of aseptic packaging is deployed across the food and beverage sector. Increasing the consumption of convenience foods helps to drive this aseptic packaging market segment over the forecast period.

• Beverages

Fruit-based beverages, such as cartons for juice drinks, are a major application for aseptic packaging. Various types of dairy-based beverages ranging from conventional milk-based beverages and protein shakes to non-dairy milk alternatives, such as almond and soy milk also use aseptic packaging solutions.

• Pharmaceuticals

The demand for pharmaceutical packaging is growing significantly in the global aseptic packaging market due to the growing packaging demand in the pharmaceutical industry and the need to expand the shelf life of products. Pharmaceutical packaging tubes are made using aluminum, plastic, and other composite materials. These tubes can be easily manufactured in a variety of different sizes, with different closure systems. The closure systems of the tubes ensure the safety of the products due to their leak-proof and lightweight nature. The rising demand for eco-friendly and reusable packaging products and the advancements in packaging technology increases the demand for packaging tubes.

Regional Analysis

The aseptic packaging market has been segmented, on the basis of region, into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America.

Global Aseptic Packaging Market, by region, 2020 (% SHARE)Source: MRFR Analysis

North America

The North America aseptic packaging market is predicted to witness robust growth during the forecast period. The growth can be attributed to the global market players that are expanding their presence in the region, along with strategic developments between the raw material suppliers. For instance, in 2018, Hoffmann Neopac AG, a Switzerland-based manufacturer of primary packaging for the Aseptic l and cosmetics industries, established a new manufacturing plant in the US. Moreover, Bormioli Pharma S.p.A., an Italian glass and plastic packaging company catering to the global pharmaceutical market, strengthened its services operations in North America.

Europe

Europe is projected to witness significant growth during the study period owing to the new directives set by the European Union (EU) authorities for pharmaceutical packaging on false medicines in 2017. The EU authorities have introduced anti-counterfeiting technologies, such as overt technology, covert technology, and forensic technology for pharmaceutical packaging, further contributing to the ongoing development of packaging methods and techniques by the pharmaceutical packaging companies in the region.

Competitive Landscape

The global aseptic packaging market is characterized by the presence of many local, regional, and global vendors. The market is highly competitive, with all the players continually competing to gain a larger aseptic packaging market share. High competition, rapid advances in technology, frequent changes in government policies, and stringent environmental regulations are some of the critical factors that could restrain the market growth. The vendors compete in terms of cost, product quality, reliability, and aftermarket services. Vendors must provide cost-effective and efficient products to survive and succeed in a competitive market environment.

Key Players

List of the prominent companies in the global aseptic packaging market are

Tetra Pak International S.A. (Europe), AMCOR PLC (Australia), Greatview Aseptic Packaging Co., Ltd (China), SIG Combibloc Group Ltd (Europe), ELOPak group (Europe), Sealed Air Corporation (US), Berry Global Inc (US), Schott AG (Germany), Printpack (US), Liquibox (US), Krones AG (Germany), DuPont (US), Ecolean ab (Europe), Goglio s.p.a (Europe), International Paper (US), Westrock Company (US), and Sonoco Products Company (US) among others.

Recent Developments

In November 2023, The Tetra Pak, the world leader in tetra packaging, has launched a new aseptic beverage carton called Tetra Brik 200 Slim Leaf, together with Portuguese food products company Lactogal. The package contains a paper-based barrier and is composed of 80% paperboard, thereby enhancing the proportion of renewable content in the package up to 90%.

In June 2022, Greatview launched an innovative new aseptic carton that uses bio-based polymer coatings from INEOS & UPM Biofuels. These are made from FSC-certified paperboard and laminated with polymers containing tall oil-based bio-naphtha.

In April 2022, Atkins introduced Tetra Pak cartons that are made from plant-based materials and are sustainable by 78%; this reduces carbon footprints by about 17% while providing ready-to-drink shakes. Sugarcane on polyethylene cartons' outer as well as inner layers, making re-sealable carton caps, is an important ingredient used to produce these polyethylene pouches.

In March 2021, the company Nongfu Spring expanded its product portfolio by adding a new product to it. This line is flexible enough and safe for processing High Acid (HA) and low acid (LA) packed in PET bottles. Chinese beverage players also launched Ready-to-Drink (RTD) drinks in PET bottles this year.

In October 2023, Sidel's Aseptic Combi Predis line was chosen as a supplier for installing China's first-ever coconut milk production facility at Hainan Chunguang Foodstuff Co., Ltd. This latest factory currently produces over 28k bottles/hour using Sidel's PET design for 350 ml bottles. It is an addition to more than 100 aseptic line installations in China. The adoption of Sidel’s technology at Hainan Chunguang played a significant role in the growth of the aseptic packaging market

Report Overview

The study covers the existing short-term and long-term aseptic packaging market effects, helping decision-makers draft short-term and long-term plans for businesses by region. The report covers major regions in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America. The report analyzes market drivers, restraints, opportunities, challenges, and Porter's Five Forces.

Aseptic Packaging Market Segmentation

Global Aseptic Packaging Market, by Material

• Plastic


• Paper & Paper board


• Metal


• Glass


• Others

Global Aseptic Packaging Market, by Type

• Cartons


• Bottles & Cans


• Bag & Pouches


• Vials & ampoules


• Prefillable Syringes


• Others

Global Aseptic Packaging Market, by Application

• Food


• Beverages


• Pharmaceuticals


• Others

Global Aseptic Packaging Market, by Region

• North America
  
  
  
  • US
  
  
  • Canada
  
  
  • Mexico
  
  
  
  


• Europe
  
  
  
  • Germany
  
  
  • France
  
  
  • UK
  
  
  • Italy
  
  
  • Spain
  
  
  • Rest of Europe
  
  
  
  


• Asia-Pacific
  
  
  
  • Japan
  
  
  • China
  
  
  • India
  
  
  • Rest of Asia-Pacific
  
  
  
  


• Middle East & Africa
  
  
  
  • UAE
  
  
  • Saudi Arabia
  
  
  • South Africa
  
  
  • Rest of Middle East & Africa
  
  
  
  


• South America
  
  
  
  • Brazil
  
  
  • Argentina
  
  
  • Rest of South America
  
  
  
  

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