Approximately *** million metric tons of plastic packaging waste were generated in the United Kingdom in 2023, a slight increase from the previous year. Snack bags, packets, and wrappers as well as food and vegetables packaging are some of the most common type of plastic packaging waste thrown out by UK households. How much plastic packaging waste is recycled? As plastic packaging waste generation in the UK has grown in the past decade, so has the recycling rate of plastic packaging in the country. In 2023, it stood at **** percent, up from less than ** percent a decade earlier. An average of ** kilograms of plastics packaging were collected for recycling per UK househod in 2023, with plastic bottles accounting for the *************. The battle against single-use plastics in the UK ***** out of 10 British adults supported banning single-use plastics as soon as possible, according to a 2024 survey. In 2015, the UK government introduced a fee for single-use plastic bags in large shops in England, in an effort to reduce plastic pollution. Since then, several additional measures have been put in place. The latest includes the ban or restriction of several types of single-use plastic products in England, such as plates, bowls, trays, or cutlery.

Food and drink packaging accounted for the largest share of plastic packaging waste thrown out by households in the United Kingdom in 2024, at ** percent. In 2023, approximately *** million metric tons of plastic packaging waste was generated in the UK, of which just **** percent was recycled.

Statistics illustrates consumption, production, prices, and trade of Plastic Packaging in the World from 2007 to 2024.

The United States Plastic Packaging Market is Segmented by Material Type ((Rigid Plastic(Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP)​ and More) Flexible Plastic (Polyethylene (PE), Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP)​ and More)), Packaging Type (Rigid Plastic Packaging, Flexible Plastic Packaging), End-Use Industry (Food, Beverage, Pharmaceutical, and More) and Packaging Technology (Extrusion, Thermoforming, and More)

Statistics illustrates consumption, production, prices, and trade of Plastic Packaging in Iran from 2007 to 2024.

The global plastic packaging market is poised for significant growth, with projections indicating it will reach nearly *** billion U.S. dollars by 2034. This expansion represents a compound annual growth rate of *** percent from 2025 to 2034, highlighting the continued importance of plastic packaging in various industries worldwide. Market trends and key players As the plastic packaging sector expands, industry leaders such as Amcor, Sealed Air, and Berry Global are expected to play crucial roles in shaping the market. The polypropylene (PP) packaging films segment, a key component of the overall market, is forecast to grow from ** billion U.S. dollars in 2024 to over ** billion U.S. dollars by 2034. Countries like the United Kingdom, United States, China, and India are anticipated to emerge as leading producers of PP packaging films. Sustainability efforts and alternatives Despite the growth in plastic packaging, there is an increasing focus on sustainability within the industry. Major plastic packaging companies are making strides in producing more environmentally friendly packaging options. For instance, Nestlé reported that ** percent of their plastic packaging weight was reusable, recyclable, or compostable in 2023, while Danone achieved ** percent in the same year. Additionally, the market for biodegradable plastics is expanding rapidly, with forecasts suggesting it will grow from nearly *** billion U.S. dollars in 2023 to over ** billion U.S. dollars by 2032, demonstrating a growing demand for more sustainable packaging solutions.

The Flexible Plastic Packaging Market Report is Segmented by Material (Polyethylene, BOPP, and More), Product Type (Pouches, Bags and Sacks, and More), Printing Technology (Flexography, Rotogravure, Digital), End-Use Industry (Food, Beverages, and More), Distribution Channel (Direct Sales, Indirect Sales), and Geography. The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD).

Determining mass-based material flow compositions (MFCOs) is crucial for assessing and optimizing the recycling of post-consumer plastics. Currently, MFCOs in plastic recycling are mostly determined through manual sorting analysis, but the use of inline near-infrared (NIR) sensors holds potential to automate the characterization process, paving the way for novel sensor-based material flow characterization (SBMC) applications. The NIR-MFCO dataset aims to expedite SBMC research by providing NIR-based false-color images of plastic material flows with their corresponding MFCOs. The false-color images were created through the pixel-based classification of binary material mixtures using a hyperspectral imaging camera (EVK HELIOS NIR G2-320; 990 nm – 1678 nm wavelength range) and the on-chip classification algorithm (CLASS 32). The resulting NIR-MFCO dataset includes n = 880 false-color images from three test series: (T1) high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flakes, (T2a) post-consumer HDPE packaging and PET bottles, and (T2b) post-consumer HDPE packaging and beverage cartons for n = 11 different HDPE shares (0% - 50%) at four different material flow presentations (singled, monolayer, bulk height H1, bulk height H2). The dataset can be used, e.g., to train machine learning algorithms, evaluate the accuracy of inline SBMC applications, and deepen the understanding of segregation effects of anthropogenic material flows, thus further advancing SBMC research and enhancing post-consumer plastic recycling.

Single-use plastic packaging market size is expected to reach USD 69.18 billion in 2032, bottle holds the leading market share and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.59%.
Report Scope:

Statistics illustrates consumption, production, prices, and trade of Plastic Packaging in Lao People's Democratic Republic from 2007 to 2024.

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The polyethylene packaging market share is expected to increase by 14132.89 thousand tons from 2020 to 2025, and the market’s growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 4.65%. This polyethylene packaging market research report provides valuable insights on the post-COVID-19 impact on the market, which will help companies evaluate their business approaches. The polyethylene packaging market report also offers information on several market vendors, including Alpha Group, Amcor Plc, Berry Global Group Inc., Constantia Flexibles Group GmbH, Coveris Management GmbH, DS Smith Plc, FKuR Kunststoff GmbH, Huhtamaki Oyj, Sealed Air Corp., and Sonoco Products Co., among others. Furthermore, this report extensively covers market segmentation by type (HDPE and LDPE) and geography (APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and MEA).

What will the Polyethylene Packaging Market Size be During the Forecast Period?

Download the Free Report Sample to Unlock the Polyethylene Packaging Market Size for the Forecast Period and Other Important Statistics

Polyethylene Packaging Market: Key Drivers and Challenges

Based on our research output, there has been a positive impact on the market growth during and post the COVID-19 era. The growing demand for high-density polyethylene bottles is notably driving the polyethylene packaging market growth, although factors such as volatility in raw material prices may impede market growth. Our research analysts have studied the historical data and deduced the key market drivers and the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the polyethylene packaging industry. The holistic analysis of the drivers will help in deducing end goals and refining marketing strategies to gain a competitive edge.

Key Polyethylene Packaging Market Driver

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is one of the most widely used resins for manufacturing plastic bottles. It is economical, impact-resistant, and provides a good moisture barrier. HDPE is naturally translucent and flexible, and any addition of color makes it opaque (although not glossy). One of the major advantages of high-density polyethylene over other plastic packaging types is its ability to be recycled. The high recycling capabilities of HDPE packaging products make the resin attractive for the manufacture of many plastic products used in the packaging industry. The demand for HDPE bottles from packaged bottled products like milk and juices will support the global polyethylene packaging market share growth during the forecast period.

Key Polyethylene Packaging Market Challenge

Metal containers are mainly made of steel, aluminum, and tin. The tin prices are expected to increase due to its growing use in electric vehicles, robotics, and renewable energy. Glass containers are made from raw materials such as sand, soda ash, and limestone. Plastics are made from hydrocarbon derived from crude oil. Hence, the cost of plastic resins depends on crude oil prices. The cost of the raw materials used in the production of metal, glass, and plastic containers depends on various factors such as changing government policies, production cost, currency fluctuations, changing economic conditions, and resource availability. Hence, uncertainty in raw material prices is expected during the forecast period. The volatile nature of raw material prices, along with packing material, freight, workforce, and electricity costs, will impede polyethylene packaging market growth in the coming years.

This polyethylene packaging market analysis report also provides detailed information on other upcoming trends and challenges that will have a far-reaching effect on the market growth. The actionable insights on the trends and challenges will help companies evaluate and develop growth strategies for 2021-2025.

Who are the Major Polyethylene Packaging Market Vendors?

The report analyzes the market’s competitive landscape and offers information on several market vendors, including:

Alpha Group
Amcor Plc
Berry Global Group Inc.
Constantia Flexibles Group GmbH
Coveris Management GmbH
DS Smith Plc
FKuR Kunststoff GmbH
Huhtamaki Oyj
Sealed Air Corp.
Sonoco Products Co.

This statistical study of the polyethylene packaging market encompasses successful business strategies deployed by the key vendors. The polyethylene packaging market is fragmented, and the vendors are deploying various organic and inorganic growth strategies to compete in the market.

To make the most of the opportunities and recover from the post-COVID-19 impact, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

The polyethylene packaging market forecast report offers in-depth insights into key vendor profiles. The profiles include information on the production, sustainability, and prospects of the leading companies.

Which are the Key Regions for Polyethylene P

The generation of plastic packaging waste in the European Union (EU-27) has been on a mostly continual annual growth since the turn of the decade. Nevertheless, in 2022, plastic packaging waste produced in the EU was estimated at ***** million metric tons, a slight decrease from last year. This figure represented an increase of roughly ** percent in comparison to 2005.

The Report Covers North America Plastic Packaging Manufacturers and the market is segmented by Type (Rigid Plastic Packaging (Material, Product, End User), Flexible Plastic Packaging (Material, Product, End User)) and Country.

This dataset was produced as part of the project: Reducing plastic packaging and food waste through product innovation simulation, funded by the NERC (Ref: NE/V010654/1). The wider project was concerned with building a Discrete Event Simulation (DES) model that can simulate food and food packaging as it moves through a household, from purchase to disposal. The dataset is qualitative in nature. The motivation for the research was to inform current and future modelling efforts, to enhance project impact. 9 semi-structured, key informant interviews were conducted with a number of packaging industry experts, recruited through Packaging Industry trade shows, LinkedIn contacts, personal networking, and through participation in the project advisory board membership. These interviews were conducted remotely and informed consent was gained for each interview. The data collection contains 8 of these interviews, as one participant withdrew from the research at the anonymisation stage. Interview transcripts are stored as .docx files. Consent forms and information sheets can be viewed as part of the data documentation.

THE PROBLEM Plastic packaging waste is a major issue that has recently entered public consciousness, with the British government committing to a 25-year plan that would phase out disposable packaging by 2042. Around 41% of plastic packaging is used for food, with the UK generating 1 million tonnes per year of packaging waste. Food packaging has had a 1844% increase in recycling since 2007, yet still only one third of food packaging is currently recycled [3]. Currently many consumers are boycotting plastic packaging. However, this is leading to a rise in food waste (and foodborne illness risk) due to decreased shelf life. Up to a third of the resources used to produce food could be saved by eliminating food waste [1]. In the UK, approximately 10 million tonnes of food are wasted every year, with the average family (i.e. a household containing children) spending £700 a year on food that is wasted. 31% of avoidable household food waste (1.3 million tonnes), is caused by a mismatch of packaging, pack, and portion size, and household food habits [2]. Plastic pollution and food waste can be reduced through product re-design and other household interventions. However, there is little evidence to determine the best solutions to reduce plastic pollution and food waste. The food industry and consumers have a variety of possible solutions, but no way of knowing the impacts and unintended consequences (without costly, time consuming trials and measurement). This is a major barrier to empowering the food system to enable the rapid reduction of plastic waste.

THE VISION This project reduces plastic pollution (and food waste) by providing a decision support tool to trigger action in the food industry and by consumers. Evidence concerning plastic and food waste reduction (and trade-offs with cost, and environmental impacts) will be generated by updating the Household Simulation Model (HHSM). The HHSM was piloted by the University of Sheffield and WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) to model the impacts of food product innovation quickly, to enable manufacturers to select the best innovations and interventions, and to prioritise their development and deployment. This project will incorporate into the current HHSM, data on 1) plastic packaging options and composition (from Valpak/WRAP), 2) household behavioural insights around packaging (single and reuse options) and food (provided by UoS/WRAP), with specific fresh produce data (from Greenwich) 3) plastic in the supply chain and environmental impacts (via SCEnATi- a big data analytics tool of the food supply chain processes (provided by Sheffield).

The updated HHSM will enable the quantification of plastic and food waste reduction, and the environmental and monetary trade-offs of various solutions. This will be done by developing an optimization engine and integrating it with the updated HHSM which will further the simulation optimization methodology with the findings from applying developed meta-heuristic algorithms to this problem. Possible solutions include offering consumers different pack sizes, or changing packaging type/shape/reusability/durability. The most successful solutions will be translated into consumer and industry guidance focusing on the top 30 foods linked to the highest waste and tradeoff potential. This will enable rapid product and food system redesign. This guidance will be open access, and deployed through WRAP and global industry networks, and open access web tools.

WRAP is coordinating the voluntary agreements UK Plastics Pact and the Courtauld Commitment 2025 (focused on food waste and carbon reduction). This allows rapid scaling of the HHSM outputs throughout the UK.

References: [1] Institution of Mechanical Engineers, "Global food - Waste not, want not" London, 2013 [2] Quested, T. E., et al. "Spaghetti soup: The...

Australia is taking greater steps to cut down its plastic waste, with both South Australia and Queensland phasing-out single-use plastic products in 2021.

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Rigid Plastic Packaging Market Size 2025-2029

The rigid plastic packaging market size is forecast to increase by USD 84.1 billion at a CAGR of 6.4% between 2024 and 2029.

The market is witnessing significant growth, driven primarily by the increasing demand from the food and beverage industry. This sector's shift towards lightweight, durable, and cost-effective packaging solutions is fueling market expansion. However, the use of fiber-based materials for packaging poses a challenge, as these alternatives offer similar benefits and are gaining popularity due to their eco-friendliness. Another significant obstacle is the high cost of recycling rigid plastic products, which can hinder market growth. Despite these challenges, opportunities exist for companies to innovate and offer cost-effective recycling solutions or differentiate themselves through the use of advanced technologies, such as biodegradable plastics or improved production processes. 
By addressing these challenges and capitalizing on the market's growth potential, businesses can effectively position themselves for success in the market. In the food and beverage sector, the demand for rigid plastic packaging is on the rise, driven by the increasing consumption of products such as hair care, soft drinks, detergent, pasta, meat, oral care, packaging for cookies, alcoholic beverages, juices, and pickles. Expanded polystyrene and polyethylene are commonly used materials for food packaging, while polyethylene terephthalate is preferred for beverage containers.

What will be the Size of the Rigid Plastic Packaging Market during the forecast period?

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In the dynamic US packaging market, material science advances continue to shape the landscape, with a focus on reducing packaging waste and integrating packaging lines. Sustainable packaging trends, such as carbon footprint reduction and modified atmosphere packaging, are driving innovation in labeling materials, closure systems, and packaging equipment. Smart packaging, including inkjet printing and RFID tagging, enhances food safety and consumer engagement. Brand loyalty is paramount, and sustainability initiatives, such as recycled plastic content and biodegradable packaging, are key differentiators. Packaging automation and efficiency are essential for e-commerce and food industries, with vacuum packaging, protective films, and packaging foams optimizing product preservation.
Food contact compliance, moisture absorbers, and anti-static packaging ensure product quality and safety. Digital printing and plant-based polymers offer design flexibility and environmental benefits. Life cycle analysis and environmental impact assessments guide packaging material sourcing and production process efficiency. Circular economy principles, including reusable packaging and packaging recycling, are increasingly important for reducing waste and minimizing environmental impact. Aseptic packaging and packaging line optimization further streamline operations and enhance product protection. Overall, the US packaging market is continuously evolving, with a focus on innovation, efficiency, and sustainability.

How is this Rigid Plastic Packaging Industry segmented?

The rigid plastic packaging industry research report provides comprehensive data (region-wise segment analysis), with forecasts and estimates in 'USD billion' for the period 2025-2029, as well as historical data from 2019-2023 for the following segments.

Type

  Bottles
  Containers
  Caps and closures
  Others


End-user

  Food
  Healthcare
  Cosmetic and toiletries
  Beverages
  Industrial


Material

  Polyethylene
  Polypropylene
  Polyvinyl Chloride
  Polystyrene
  Others


Geography

  North America

    US
    Canada


  Europe

    France
    Germany
    UK


  APAC

    Australia
    China
    India
    Japan
    South Korea


  Rest of World (ROW)

By Type Insights

The bottles segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period. Rigid plastic packaging, primarily made from materials such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene plastic (PP), and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), continues to dominate various industries due to its versatility and durability. This packaging type is utilized extensively for a wide range of products, including water, juices, pharmaceuticals, food items, cosmetics, carbonated soft drinks, and personal care products. The retail sector's expansion and the increasing preference for convenient and sustainable packaging solutions have fueled market growth. For instance, Coca-Cola India introduced 100% recycled PET (rPET) bottles in the carbonated beverage category in October 2023. Consumer preferences for child-resistant, tamper-evident, and oxygen barrier packaging have led to the development of advanced packaging technologies.

Material science innovations have enabled the cr

105192 Global import shipment records of Plastic Packaging with prices, volume & current Buyer's suppliers relationships based on actual Global export trade database.

Statistics illustrates consumption, production, prices, and trade of Plastic Packaging in Reunion from 2007 to 2024.

The GCC Plastic Packaging Market Report is Segmented by Material Type (Polyethylene, Polypropylene and More), Packaging Type (Flexible, and Rigid), Product Form (Bottles and Jars, and More), End-User Industry (Food, Beverage, Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare, and More), Manufacturing Process (Extrusion, Injection Molding, Blow Molding, and Thermoforming). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Volume (Tons).