Biodegradable Packaging Material Market Forecast, Trend Analysis & Competition Tracking - Global Market Insights 2018 to 2028

Key Insights

Consumer Pressure and ‘Attenborough Effect’ Influence Brands to Invest in Sustainable Packaging

Majority of millennial shoppers are becoming highly-aware of the environmental footprint of products they use and thereby, sustainable brands are grabbing attention from environment-conscious end-users. Manufacturers across various industrial sectors are adopting strategies to use biodegradable packaging materials to incorporate a pro-environment message as a part of their marketing policies.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation – a British charity – declared its New Plastics Economy initiative, which united globally recognized brands, including Unilever, the Coca-Cola Company, Danone, Amcor Limited, and PepsiCo, to work towards adopting sustainable packaging materials by the year 2025. As a part of its Performance with Purpose 2025 agenda, PepsiCo announced that it will adopt 100% compostable, recyclable, or biodegradable packaging materials by 2025.

The Coca-Cola Company recently declared its packaging vision to make all its packaging 100% recyclable by the year 2025. It also “pledged” to incorporate 50% recycled materials across all its packaging worldwide by 2030. Unilever also declared that it will reduce its packaging waste by one third by the year 2020 and adopt fully compostable or biodegradable packaging materials by 2025.

A palpable shift towards biodegradable packaging materials among retailers across the world is expected to provide a great boost to the development of the biodegradable packaging marketing in the coming future.

Biodegradable Packaging Material Market: Investment in Cutting-edge Manufacturing Technologies Growing

Leading manufacturers in the biodegradable packaging material market are adopting advanced technologies to cater to the increasing demand for highly-efficient and affordable biodegradable packaging solutions. Furthermore, next-generation technological solutions are aiding manufacturers in the biodegradable packaging material market to improve the suitability of their biodegradable packaging solutions for industry-specific applications.

Market players, such as Smurfit Kappa Group, Mondi Limited, and Amcor Limited, recently announced that they have adopted strategies to increase investments in state-of-the-art technologies, such as resin reclamation technology and extrusion coating technology, to boost speed and flexibility of manufacturing processes and deliver application-specific biodegradable packaging solutions.

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Stringent Regulations against Single-Use Packaging Drive Demand for Biodegradable Packaging Materials

According to statistics declared by the World Bank, more than 2 billion tons of solid waste was generated across the globe in 2016, and with the increasing global population, annual waste generation may increase by 70% to reach 3.4 billion tons by 2050. Another report published by the World Economic Forum opined that in 2015, over 300 million tons of plastic waste was generated across the world, and only 14% of which was recycled.

Considering the perils of rising plastic waste generation, a majority of governments and institutes, such as the European Commission, have imposed a ban on the use of single-use plastic packaging materials. Players in the biodegradable packaging material market are aiming to leverage lucrative business opportunities as manufacturers are shifting towards eco-friendly packaging materials while complying with strict government regulations.

Shift from Traditional to Biodegradable: Opportunities and Challenges for Stakeholders Across Supply Chain

The surge in biodegradable packaging can be attributed, in part, to regulatory challenges pertaining to the use of traditional plastics. The institution-industry collaboration to mitigate global warming has led to adoption of sustainable materials. The growing emphasis towards ‘eco-friendly packaging’ is likely to create sustained opportunities for biodegradable packaging material manufacturers in the long-term. However, the onus is on manufacturers to scale up and offer a wide range of functional products that are compatible with the evolving needs of various industries.

The lucrativeness of biodegradable packaging materials market has led to the foray of a large number of domestic and local players. The ambiguity over what qualifies as ‘biodegradable packaging material’ has also made it necessary for governments to have the necessary regulatory frameworks in place. 

The broader impact of a shift towards biodegradable packaging is all-encompassing – from material providers to recyclers, every player in the supply chain is involved. Further, many biodegradable materials cannot be recycled, which continues to create challenges in terms of investment. The challenges are not limited to recyclability alone – ineffective waste management continues to create shortage as well as oversupply of raw materials used in the manufacture of biodegradable packaging.

Concerns about Sustainability and High Cost of Biodegradable Plastic Hinder Market Growth

Though the ban on plastic packaging has influenced retailers into shifting towards biodegradable packaging alternatives, high cost of biodegradable packaging materials continues to be the main impediment to its speed of adoption. Unavailability of cost-effective biodegradable packaging materials remains a huge challenge for retailers and market players in the end-user industries. Additionally, consumers are becoming aware of the fact that bio-plastics used in biodegradable packaging also have a significant environmental footprint, which is changing the dynamics of the biodegradable packaging material market. As the level of consumer understanding about biodegradable packaging materials and current waste management infrastructure drive the manufacturer’s choice of biodegradable packaging materials, concerns about the biodegradability of bio-plastic may hamper the development of the biodegradable packaging material market in the upcoming years.

Proliferation of e-Commerce Sector Creating Lucrative Opportunities for Biodegradable Packaging Manufacturers

An increasing number of consumers purchasing products on the web and companies adopting omni-channel sales strategies have changed the dynamics of biodegradable packaging industry. According to a recent report by the European Commission, the percentage of European individuals purchasing goods over the internet increased from 30% in 2007 to 57% in 2017.  The growth prospects of the biodegradable packaging material market are hugely influenced by rapidly growing e-commerce sector along with growing concerns about reducing packaging waste. Needs for minimizing the environmental impact of over-packed shipped products due to consumer pressure are encouraging manufacturers in the biodegradable packaging material market to introduce biodegradable paper packaging solutions for the e-commerce sector.

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Competitive Landscape

The Fact.MR market research report provides detailed information about the recent developments in the biodegradable packaging material market. Readers can find comprehensive information about the leading players in the biodegradable packaging material market in order to understand the recent strategies adopted by their competitors. The companies featured in the Fact.MR report on biodegradable packaging material market include Smurfit Kappa UK Ltd., International Paper Company, WestRock Company, Mondi Limited, DS Smith PLC, Tetra Pak International S.A, Amcor Limited, Stora Enso Oyj, Toray Industries, Inc., and Kruger Inc.

The biodegradable packaging material market is expected to witness a brief flurry of merger & acquisition (M&A) activities in the upcoming years. The U.S.-based packaging company, WestRock Company has adopted a strategies to purchase it smaller rivals across the globe to improve its presence on the global platform for biodegradable packaging. The company has acquired smaller packaging companies, such as KapStone Paper and Packaging Corp, Schlüter Print Pharma Packaging, Plymouth Packaging, Inc., and Hanna Group Pty Ltd., in this year.

Another leading stakeholder in the biodegradable packaging material market, Amcor Limited and Bemis Company, Inc. announced to have entered a strategic agreement to combine in US$ 6.8 billion, to consolidate a stronger position in the consumer packaging market. Other established players in the biodegradable packaging material market, such as DS Smith plc. and Smurfit Kappa UK Ltd., have announced to have adopted strategies to leverage the recent developments in e-commerce to envisage profitable growth in the biodegradable packaging material market in the coming future.

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Definition

Biodegradable packaging materials are manufactured using plant-based materials, such as paper, paperboard, and biodegradable plastic, and do not have any harmful materials. Biodegradable packaging materials are products that can be decomposed into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass without oxygen relatively faster than compostable materials.

About the Report

The Fact.MR report on the biodegradable packaging material market presents valuable insights about the potential business opportunities for biodegradable packaging material manufacturers and recent developments in the biodegradable packaging material market. On conducting a thorough market research, accurate conclusions are drawn about the growth prospects of the biodegradable packaging material market. The qualitative and quantitative information about the biodegradable packaging material market featured in the report can help biodegradable packaging material manufacturers to make appropriate business decisions in the upcoming years.

Segmentation

To provide detailed information about the biodegradable packaging material market, the Fact.MR report divides the market into four segments, such as material types, applications types, end-use industries, and regions. Based on the types of biodegradable packaging materials, the market is segmented into paper & paperboard, and plastic. Paper & paperboards are further divided into four types, i.e., coated unbleached kraft paperboard, bleached paperboard, molded fiber pulp, and recycled paper, and plastic is further divided into poly lactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), starch based plastics, fossil based polymer (PCL, PBAT, PBS etc.), and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). Other types of biodegradable packaging materials that are featured in this report are jute and wood.

The biodegradable packaging material market is segmented based on its applications types, such as trays, bags, boxes, clamshells, films, and pouches. Based on end-use industries, the biodegradable packaging material market is segmented into food & beverage, cosmetics & personal care products, pharmaceuticals, and consumer goods. Furthermore, the biodegradable packaging material market is divided into seven geographic regions – North America, Latin America, Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) & Russia, Middle East & Africa (MEA), Asia Pacific, and Japan.

Additional Questions Answered

Information about the biodegradable packaging material market presented in the Fact.MR report focuses the future prospects of the market. It also helps market players to adopt appropriate business strategies and make well-informed business decisions in the upcoming years. The report answers critical questions for players in the biodegradable packaging market, such as:

• Which end-user industry will remain instrumental in the development of the biodegradable packaging material market during the forecast period 2018-2028?
• What is boosting the adoption of biodegradable packaging materials, such as poly lactic acid (PLA) and starch-based plastics?
• What are the factors triggering the growth of the biodegradable packaging material market in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Which country has the most stringent regulations and certification processes for biodegradable packaging materials?

Research Methodology

A holistic approach is followed by analysts at Fact.MR while conducting a thorough research about the growth of the biodegradable packaging material market during the period 2018-2028. The qualitative and quantitative conclusions about the development of the biodegradable packaging material market featured in the report are the outcome of detailed secondary and primary market research conducted by analysts at Fact.MR.