Paper versus plastic: Ceresana examines the European flexible packaging market

KONSTANZ, Germany - Nov. 30, 2022 - PRLog -- Ceresana has studied the European market for flexible packaging made of plastics, paper and aluminum. This includes consumer goods packaging for end users, but also, for example, shrink and stretch films for storage and transport, labels, carrier bags of all kinds, bags for heavy loads and flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBC). "We expect the demand for flexible packaging in Europe to slightly decrease overall, reaching around 19.05 million tonnes in 2031", says Oliver Kutsch, Ceresana's managing director. "The different types of packaging and materials, however, are developing with different dynamics."

Sturdy Bags

Food retail sales grew slightly during the Corona lockdown months: in many places, restaurants were closed and consumers had more time to cook for themselves. This also increased demand for pouches for food. However, this effect is now fading again: Many households have to save because of rising energy costs and inflation. Demand for shrink and stretch films, heavy-duty and industrial bags correlate closely with the development of the economy as a whole. Transport packaging benefits from the still growing volume of internet trade. The ongoing convenience trend is driving demand for stand-up pouches, where composite films enable weight reduction compared to rigid packaging.

Less Plastic, More Paper

The European Union's "Green Deal" and "Plastics Strategy" are starting to take effect: thin plastic carrier bags and shirt bags are being banned or subjected to fees in more and more EU countries. Their demand is declining. They are often replaced by paper bags and pouches, but these are not necessarily sustainable either. At the same time, the demand for trash bags is increasing because fewer and fewer carrier bags are finding a secondary use as trash bags. Market researchers at Ceresana expect this trend to continue until around 2026, when demand for trash bags is expected to fall slightly again. By contrast, paper is often being replaced by plastic alternatives in the case of labels.

Current Market Analysis on Flexible Packaging

Chapter 1 of the new study shows the demand for flexible packaging for the whole of Europe, broken down into packaging films, bags and sacks, shrink and stretch films, labels and other packaging. Chapter 2 examines the different types of flexible packaging in detail, divided into 19 national markets in Europe. Chapter 3 offers company profiles of the most important manufacturers of flexible packaging in Europe
Further information about the new market study "Flexible ood-Packaging – Europe": https://www.ceresana.com/en/market-studies/packaging/flex...