Rigid Plastic Packaging Market Trends

Global Rigid Plastic Packaging Market Overview

Rigid Plastic Packaging Market Size was approximately valued at USD 147017.7 million in 2023. The rigid plastic packaging industry is projected to grow from USD 152604.4 million in 2024 to USD 217011.0 million by 2032, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.5% during the forecast period (2024 - 2032). The rapid expansion of the food and beverage sector has increased demand for jars, bottles, fruit juice containers, food packaging containers, and gastronomy bags, a significant market driver for the rigid plastic packaging market.  demand for rigid plastic packaging is expanding due to rising demand for electrical switches, containers, and bicycle wheels.

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

Rigid Plastic Packaging Market Trends

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  The growing use of cosmetics to boost the market growth

  
  

Rigid plastic packaging is frequently used in the cosmetics and personal care industry for applications such as product packaging for sun care, oral care, skin care, ornamental cosmetics, body care, perfume, and hair care, providing frictionless storage items and longer shelf life. For instance, International Trade Administration in Malaysia estimates that the personal care and cosmetics sector will develop at a CAGR of 4% by 2025. Thus, during the projected period, the market will expand in proportion to the expansion of the cosmetics and personal care industry.

Bpacks announced the launch of the world’s first bark-based packaging technology in April 2024. This change to eco-packaging relies on current equipment used in the manufacture of all types of plastic rigid packaging since it integrates well into them. European Union policy directives have mandated transitioning to biodegradable packaging within five years, thereby necessitating this move. Bpacks’ R&D center, occupying 300 square meters located in Belgrade, Serbia, makes finished packages as well as granules that replace plastic pellets. The manufacturing process for these pellets made from bark resembles that for producing polymers, except that no capital investments are needed at the start when molding begins because their production process resembles plastics production.

Novolex launched food packaging containers that have at least a 10% minimum of post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, which is also recyclable. Some of the products include cake containers of different sizes, bakery clamshells, dessert cups, and tamper-evident containers. CakePak bases and lids come with a patented EZ Release system with easy-to-use lift tabs. The clear, multi-use clamshells provide product visibility and enhance food presentations, while loaf cakes and cookies are examples. Transparent dessert cups are available in three sizes. The PET is used for all cups. BreakAway tamper-evident containers have an indication that shows when the top has been removed.

WWP Beauty based in America has collaborated with Oceanworks to assist its customers incorporate recycled ocean plastics into its products starting in June 2022. This collaboration will result in more eco-friendly beauty packaging designs made out of Oceanworks’ ocean plastics.

Siegwerk in 2022 announced a new development that is an improved deinking specially tailored for rigid plastic packaging, greatly aiding the industrial mechanical recycling process.

Figure 1: Revenue of the  cosmetic market  from 2013-2026Source: Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database and Analyst Review

Reusing and recycling packaging materials has garnered much attention internationally during the past several years. Many governments and industry players have devised plans to reduce plastic waste through recycling. In June 2020, the Chairwoman of the House Science Subcommittee on Research and Technology, along with Anthony Gonzalez (OH-16), launched bipartisan legislation to reduce plastic waste and improve the worldwide competitiveness of the US plastics recycling industry. Therefore, such government initiative related to recycling has enhanced the rigid plastic packaging market CAGR ly in recent years.

Rigid plastic packaging is frequent;y used in the beverage sector because it keeps the product's quality and freshness by tightly enclosing its contents. The use of rigid plastic packaging will rise due to increased disposable income, changing consumer lifestyles, improved product presentation and differentiation, and rising demand for bottled water and alcoholic beverages. Such factors are boosting the rigid plastic packaging market revenue.

Emmer Ltd, based in AYR, launched a new 17.5l rigid plastic container in March 2024. The company has developed bespoke containers since 2009. The latest innovation includes an “off-the-shelf” plastic bucket and lid measuring 333 x 330mm. According to Emmer, this product was introduced specifically with optimization on a pallet size of 1200 x1000mm. Besides, IML robotization arrived at the same time as enabling all bins to have high-resolution in-molding labels.

Rigid Plastic Packaging Market Segment Insights

Rigid Plastic Packaging Material Insights

The  rigid plastic packaging market segmentation, based on fusion type, includes bioplastics, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and others. Polypropylene (PP) material category held the greatest share in the rigid plastic packaging market. Compared to other plastic materials like polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), and others, polypropylene offers good barrier qualities, improved surface polish, low cost, and high tensile strength.

May 2021: Indo Rama Synthetics (India) Limited (ISRL), Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited subsidiary, has increased its polyethylene terephthalate production capacity. The corporation has invested USD 82 million in the production location in India to modernize equipment and increase capacity. This expansion has further broadened the growth opportunity for the rigid plastic packaging industry.

One of the key elements propelling the expansion of the  market is the rise in demand for PET containers, particularly from the food and beverage industry, and the rise in demand for frozen and processed foods. The fast urbanization and rise in consumer buying power in developing nations like China and India fuel market growth.

Rigid Plastic Packaging Product Insights

The  rigid plastic packaging market data has been bifurcated by product into bottles & jars, trays, tubs, cups, and others. In 2021, the bottles and jars category held the major share with respect to the  rigid plastic packaging market revenue. Plastic bottles have emerged as viable alternatives to glass bottles due to their appealing characteristics, such as low cost, lightweight, ease of manufacture, and impact resistance. Additionally, the cups sector witnessed significant growth. The well-established café culture and the emergence of fast-food chains in North America and Europe fuel the industry's development.

Rigid Plastic Packaging Manufacturing Process Insights

Based on Manufacturing Process, the  rigid plastic packaging industry has been segmented into extrusion, injection molding, and others. The extrusion category had the highest revenue share of 48.8% in 2021 because the bulk of flexible packaging products, including pouches, bags, and films, are made using extrusion technology.

Figure 2: Worldwide Rigid Plastic Packaging Market, by Manufacturing Process, 2021 & 2030 (USD Million)Source: Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database and Analyst Review

The second fastest-growing segment in the rigid plastic packaging industry is injection molding. The demand for mass production of thousands of identical components at lower costs, together with design flexibility and precision, is anticipated to increase, especially from various end-user industries like packaging, medical, and electronics, driving the segment's growth.

Rigid Plastic Packaging Application Insights

The  rigid plastic packaging market segmentation, based on application, includes food & beverages, healthcare, personal care, industrial packaging, and others. The food and beverage sector dominated the rigid plastic packaging market in 2021. Cans, bottles, jars, and other rigid plastic packing containers keep the food item safe and free from contamination. The personal and home care application sector is anticipated to grow considerably during the projected period. With the rising consumer awareness of cleanliness and grooming, this business has experienced tremendous expansion.

Functional utility throughout the lifecycle of a product, mainly designed for home and personal care products such as soap bottles and washing detergent containers, is what New Wave is all about. UPM Raflatac, which provides labeling solutions, has come up with a new paper label material for plastic packaging called New Wave, which has been certified by RecyClass. As far as compatibility with recycling processes for rigid high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) containers is concerned, New Wave is reportedly the first of its kind to be officially recognized. The certification by RecyClass also comes with a Letter of Compatibility that confirms it can be used on natural and white materials without interfering with the purity needed by recyclers.

Rigid Plastic Packaging Market Regional Insights

By Region, the study provides market insights into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Rest of the World. Asia Pacific's rigid plastic packaging market accounted for USD 56,465.6 million in 2021 and is expected to exhibit a significant CAGR of 42.6 percent growth during the study period. The Asia-Pacific region leads the world in terms of packaging demand for the beauty and personal care sector due to expansion in nations like India, China, and Indonesia. For instance, International Trade Administration projects that Indonesia's cosmetics and personal care business will generate USD 7.5 billion in revenue in 2021 and continue to grow at a CAGR of 6.5 percent through 2025. Moreover, China's rigid plastic packaging market held the largest market share, and the Indian rigid plastic packaging market was the fastest-growing market in the Asia-Pacific region.

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

Figure 3: RIGID PLASTIC PACKAGING MARKETSHARE BY REGION 2021 (%)Source: Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database and Analyst Review

Europe's rigid plastic packaging market accounts for the second-largest market. The region's market is expanding slowly, mostly explained by strict limits on the use of plastic packaging and high consumer awareness of sustainability. Additionally, the European Parliament has mandated that plastic bottles must include at least 25% recycled material by 2025 and 30% by 2030, as well as a 90% collection target by 2029. Further, the German rigid plastic packaging market held the largest market share, and the UK rigid plastic packaging market was the fastest-growing market in the European region.

The North American packaging market has seen a significant transformation in recent years, driven by developments in digital printing, sustainability, and the expansion of e-commerce. As a result, sustainable, flexible packaging is in higher demand. For instance, the Flexible Packaging Association reports that more than 60% of North American consumers are willing to pay more for packaging benefits that are observable and practical, such as product protection, transportation friendliness, and supply chain effectiveness, among others.

Rigid Plastic Packaging Key Market Players & Competitive Insights

The market for rigid plastic packaging will continue to rise due to major market players spending a lot of money on research to diversify their product lines. Market participants are engaging in various strategic activities to increase their  presence in conjunction with significant market developments such as new product releases, contractual agreements, mergers and acquisitions, increased investments, and collaboration with other organizations. Competitors in the rigid plastic packaging industry must offer reasonably priced products if they want to expand and survive in a market that is getting increasingly cutthroat.

One of the primary business strategies the rigid plastic packaging industry utilizes to serve clients and expand the market sector is local manufacturing to reduce operational costs. Some of the most significant benefits recently offered to medicine by the rigid plastic packaging industry. Rigid plastic packaging market major players, including Abbott Laboratories (US), Stryker Corporation (US), Medtronic Inc. (Ireland), and others, are supporting R&D projects to boost market demand.

Saudi Aramco is the world's largest producer of oil. The corporation, formally known as Saudi Arabian Oil Company, is situated in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, and is mostly owned by the government. It is the most profitable corporation in the world, outpacing even industry titans like Apple (AAPL) and Google (a division of Alphabet) (GOOGL). For instance, in June 2020, Aramco announced the completion of its share acquisition from the Public Investment Fund of 70% ownership in Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) (PIF).

Sonoco was founded in 1899 and is a leading consumer, industrial, healthcare, and protective packaging manufacturer. Sonoco is dedicated to developing long-term goods, services, and initiatives for our customers, workers, and communities. For instance, in February 2020, Sonoco bought TEQ Thermoform Engineered Quality, a  maker of thermoformed packaging for the healthcare, medical device, and consumer markets, and it is expected to rebrand and brand all of its manufacturing locations entirely as TEQ. This contains Plastique facilities located around Europe.

List of the Key Companies in the Rigid Plastic Packaging Market Includes

• Consolidated Container Company


• Amcor Limited


• LINPAC Packaging Limited


• Bemis Company


• Silgan Holdings


• RPC Group Plc


• Plastipak Holdings


• Inc


• Sealed Air Corporation


• Reynolds Group Holdings


• Berry Plastics Corporation.

Rigid Plastic Packaging Industry Developments

October 2022: Amcor Rigid Package (ARP) created a novel two-step lightweight method that eliminates more than 50% of the material and weight in the bottle finish, representing a quantum leap forward in packaging weight reduction. ARP's innovative QuantumTM technology for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles gives sustainability benefits, lowers costs, and improves packaging aesthetics. ARP is a leader in developing technology that produces more sustainable packaging choices.

October 2021: Pactiv Inc. announced the acquisition of Fabri-Kal, a leading manufacturer of food service and consumer brand packaging solutions, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Pactiv Evergreen Group Holdings Inc. Fabri-products Kal's for the consumer packaged goods and industrial food markets include portion cups, lids, clamshells, drink cups, and yogurt containers.

Rigid Plastic Packaging Market Segmentation

Rigid Plastic Packaging Material Outlook

• Bio Plastics


• Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)


• Polyethylene (PE)


• Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)


• Others

Rigid Plastic Packaging Product Outlook

• Bottles & Jars


• Trays


• Tubs


• Cups


• Others

Rigid Plastic Packaging Manufacturing Process Outlook

• Extrusion


• Injection Molding


• Others

Rigid Plastic Packaging Application Outlook

• Food & Beverages


• Healthcare


• Personal Care


• Industrial Packaging


• Others