Empty Capsule Market Analysis

Global Empty Capsule Market Overview

Empty Capsule Market Size was valued at USD 1.61 Billion in 2023. The Empty capsule market industry is projected to grow from USD 1.7355 Billion in 2024 to USD 2.94 Billion by 2032, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.81% during the forecast period (2024 - 2032). Increasing investments in capsule manufacturing plants and the rise in demand for halal capsules are the key market drivers enhancing market growth.

Source Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database, and Analyst Review

Empty Capsule Market Trends

• The rise in the nutraceutical and dietary supplement industry is driving market growth.

The rise in the  nutraceutical and dietary supplement industry is driving Market CAGR for empty capsules. The growing nutraceutical and dietary supplement industry significantly impacts the sale of empty capsules. The nutraceutical and dietary supplement industry offers many products, including vitamins, minerals, herbal extracts, probiotics, and other bioactive compounds. These substances often need to be encapsulated for convenient consumption. Empty capsules provide an efficient and versatile delivery system for such ingredients, allowing manufacturers to create diverse products. Empty capsules enable manufacturers to customize their formulations according to specific ingredients, dosages, and target audiences. This flexibility is essential in the nutraceutical and dietary supplement industry, as different products require different dosages and combinations of ingredients.

According to the U.S. International Trade Administration, India's nutraceutical industry will hold around 3.5% of the  market share by 2023. The nutraceutical market is anticipated to grow from an estimated $4 billion to $18 billion in India by the end of 2025. Overall, the growth of the nutraceutical and dietary supplement industry drives the demand for empty capsules by requiring a reliable, customizable, and convenient dosage form for a wide range of nutritional and bioactive ingredients. Empty capsules provide the necessary solution to encapsulate these substances and meet consumer expectations for quality, convenience, and efficacy, thus driving market growth.

The growing pharmaceutical industry significantly drives the sale of empty capsules. Empty capsules serve as a popular and efficient method for encapsulating drugs. Many pharmaceutical formulations, such as powders, granules, pellets, and liquids, can be encapsulated within empty capsules to create oral dosage forms. Capsules offer advantages such as accurate dosing, protection of the drug from external factors, and ease of swallowing. As the pharmaceutical industry expands, the demand for empty capsules to encapsulate drugs increases correspondingly. The pharmaceutical industry invests heavily in research and development (R&D) to discover and develop innovative drugs. Different formulations and dosage forms are tested and evaluated during the drug development. Empty capsules provide a versatile and flexible option for drug delivery, allowing researchers and developers to explore different formulations and optimize drug performance. The need for empty capsules during drug R&D drives their sale. When patents of branded pharmaceutical products expire, generic drug manufacturers can enter the market with their versions of the drugs. Generic drug manufacturers commonly use empty capsules as they allow for easy replication of the branded product. Empty capsules enable these manufacturers to create generic versions with the same drug dosage and delivery system, ensuring bioequivalence. The increasing number of generic drugs entering the market drives the demand for empty capsules.

Technological advancements have improved empty capsules' manufacturing process and quality. The development of advanced capsule-filling machines has significantly improved the efficiency and accuracy of the capsule-filling process. These machines can automatically fill large empty capsules with precise amounts of powder or liquid formulations. They incorporate advanced control systems and mechanisms to ensure consistent filling, reduce wastage, and enhance production speed. Technological advancements have led to automated inspection systems that detect defects or irregularities in empty capsules. These systems use optical sensors, cameras, and image analysis algorithms to inspect capsules for cracks, deformities, or contamination. The automated inspection process ensures the production of high-quality capsules and reduces the risk of defective products reaching the market. These technological advancements in the manufacturing of empty capsules have not only improved production efficiency and quality control but also expanded the range of applications and enhanced the industry's overall sustainability. These advancements drive innovation and provide manufacturers with the tools to meet the market's evolving needs.

All the factors mentioned above are expected to propel the growth of the  empty capsule market revenue during the forecast period.

Empty Capsule Market Segment Insights

Empty Capsule Raw Material Insights

Based on raw material, the  empty capsule market segmentation includes bovine, porcine, and non-gelatin. Due to its low cost and availability, the porcine segment dominated the market, accounting for 53.9% of market revenue (0.81 billion). The non-gelatin category is expected to register the highest growth rate during the forecast period.

Figure 1  Empty Capsule Market, by Raw Material, 2022 & 2032 (USD Billion)

Source Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database, and Analyst Review

Empty Capsule Physical Characteristics Insights

Based on physical characteristics, the  empty capsule market segmentation includes hard and soft capsules. The hard capsules category dominated the market, accounting for around 63.48% (0.95 billion) of  revenue in 2022. Hard capsules are ideally suited for clinical trials and are widely used in primary drug studies. Moreover, the soft capsules category will register the highest growth rate during the forecast period.

Empty Capsule Certification Insights

Based on certifications, the  empty capsule market segmentation includes halal and non-halal certifications. Non-halal certification dominated the market, accounting for around 68.78% (1.03 billion) of  revenue. Offering non-halal certified empty capsules provides flexibility to manufacturers and consumers alike. It allows manufacturers to work with a broader range of ingredients and materials, which may be necessary for specific applications or formulations. Moreover, the halal certification category is expected to register the fastest growth rate during the forecast period.

Empty Capsule Regional Insights

By region, the study provides market insights into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World. North America's empty capsule market region will dominate, owing to a large senior population, key players, and established distribution channels. In addition, the growing pharmaceutical industry will boost market growth in this region.

Further, the major countries studied in the market report are the US, Canada, German, France, the UK, Italy, Spain, China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, and Brazil.

Figure 2  EMPTY CAPSULE MARKET SHARE BY REGION 2022 (USD Billion)

Source Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database, and Analyst Review

Europe’s empty capsule market accounts for the second-largest market share due to the high product availability, increasing prevalence of diseases, and rise in R&D. Further, the UK empty capsule market held the largest market share, and the Germany empty capsule market was the fastest-growing market in the Europe region in 2022.

The Asia-Pacific Empty Capsule Market is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR from 2023 to 2032. Asia-Pacific is projected to grow significantly in the empty capsules market due to the growing patient pool. Moreover, the rise in the expenses on healthcare infrastructure is anticipated to propel the growth of the empty capsules market in the region in the coming years. Moreover, China's empty capsule market held the largest market share, and the Indian empty capsule market was the fastest-growing market in the Asia-Pacific region.

Empty Capsule Key Market Players & Competitive Insights

Leading market players are investing heavily in research and development to expand their product lines, which will help the empty capsule market grow even more. Market players are also undertaking various strategic activities to expand their  footprint, with important market developments including new product launches, awareness campaigns, mergers and acquisitions, higher investments, and  expansion. The Empty Capsule industry must offer cost-effective items to expand and survive in a more competitive and rising market climate.

Manufacturing locally to minimize operational costs is one of the key business tactics manufacturers use in the  empty capsule industry to benefit clients and increase the market sector. The empty capsule industry has offered some of the most innovative products recently. Major players in the Empty Capsule market, including Capsugel, Tabuk Pharmaceuticals, Julphar, Roxlor, Qualicaps, ACG- Associated Capsules, and others, are attempting to increase market demand by investing in research and development operations.

ACG (Associated Capsules Group) is a  pharmaceutical and nutraceutical packaging solutions provider headquartered in Mumbai, India. The company specializes in the manufacturing and supply of empty hard capsules, packaging films, and machinery for the dietary supplement, pharmaceutical,  and food industries. With a history spanning over five decades, ACG has established itself as a trusted partner in the healthcare and packaging industry. ACG's Capsules Division is one of the largest manufacturers ly of empty hard gelatin and vegetarian capsules. They offer a comprehensive range of capsules in various sizes, colors, and materials to cater to diverse formulation needs. ACG's capsules are known for their high-quality standards, uniformity, and compatibility with various active ingredients.

In March 2021, ACG launched its new ACGcaps™ NTone and ACGcaps™ TSafe capsules for the Nutraceutical market.

Capsugel is a  leader in developing, manufacturing, and supplying high-quality capsules and related products for the pharmaceutical, dietary supplement, and food industries. The company was acquired by Lonza Group in 2017 and is now known as Lonza Capsules & Health Ingredients. Capsugel offers a wide range of capsule solutions, including gelatin and vegetarian (HPMC and pullulan) capsules. Their capsules are available in various sizes, colors, and customization options to meet specific customer requirements. Capsugel's capsules are known for their quality, reliability, and consistent performance in encapsulating a wide range of active ingredients. Capsugel provides innovative dosage form solutions beyond traditional capsules, including specialized capsules, multiarticulate systems, tablets, and powders. These solutions enable customers to enhance drug bioavailability, improve patient compliance, and address specific formulation challenges.

In October 2020, Lonza expanded its capsule manufacturing capacity to increase production by 30 billion capsules annually.

Key Companies in the Empty Capsule market include

• Neopharma


• Tabuk Pharmaceuticals


• Julphar


• Roxlor


• Qualicaps


• ACG- Associated Capsules


• Medi-Caps Ltd


• Capsugel


• Acdima


• NecLife

Empty Capsule Industry Developments

November 2021 ACG announced to set up the world's largest greenfield vegetarian capsule factory in Maharashtra.

June 2020 Lonza capsules and health ingredients introduced HPMC double-blinded capsules for clinical trials.

Empty Capsule Market Segmentation

Empty Capsule Raw Material Outlook

• Bovine


• Porcine


• Non-gelatin

Empty Capsule Physical Characteristics Outlook

• Hard Capsules


• Soft Capsules

Empty Capsule Certification Outlook

• Halal Certification


• Non-halal Certification

Empty Capsule Regional Outlook

• North America
  
  
  
  • US
  
  
  • Canada
  
  
  
  


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


• Asia-Pacific
  
  
  
  • China
  
  
  • Japan
  
  
  • India
  
  
  • Australia
  
  
  • South Korea
  
  
  • Australia
  
  
  • Rest of Asia-Pacific
  
  
  
  


• Rest of the World
  
  
  
  • Middle East
  
  
  • Africa
  
  
  • Latin America