Baby Food Packaging Market Trends

Market Trends of Baby Food Packaging Industry

Plastic is Expected to Hold the Largest Market Share

• Plastics are a more efficient material for food packaging than other alternatives because plastics are energy efficient to manufacture and lighter than alternative materials. For instance, just two pounds of plastic can deliver 10 gallons of a beverage, whereas three pounds of aluminum, eight pounds of steel, or over 40 pounds of glass are needed to deliver the same amount of beverage.
• In infant formula, metal and plastic packaging are majorly adopted. Ball Corporation is one of the major companies offering metal packaging, such as food cans. However, the usage of larger folding cartons as primary packaging for powdered milk formula, which offers individual servings in secondary packs of flexible plastic, is expected to increase over the forecast period.
• In the powder milk formula segment, the busy life of working parents has led to the launch of single-serve plastic sachets by various brands. Thus, this increases the importance of ready nutrition products and further boosts the market growth.
• The growing consumer preference toward eco-friendly pouch packaging has also increased the adoption of flexible packaging. Another factor augmenting the demand for plastic packaging solutions is the innovation by baby food manufacturers to meet varying consumer needs as eco-conscious parents are predominantly choosing baby food packaged in plastic barrier bags and pouches because these materials are recyclable and landfill-friendly.
• To meet the demand for eco-friendly baby food products, packaging companies are opting for plastics that do not affect the packaged food. For instance, in March 2020, Nestle announced the launch of a first-of-its-kind, single-material pouch for its baby food products designed for the future of recycling. The product will be 100% recyclable through Gerber's national recycling program with TerraCycle.

Asia Pacific to Witness a Significant Growth

• The Asia Pacific region is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period, owing to the increased use of packaged baby food products by the urban population. Additionally, with the rising disposable income of people in the emerging economies and their busy lifestyles, there is a significant growth in the market in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Moreover, China is expected to have the highest share in the baby food packaging market in the Asia Pacific region, followed by Japan and India. The increasing awareness of consumers regarding the nutritional benefits of packaged baby food products is expected to drive the growth of the market.
• Furthermore, due to superior quality and the perceived safety and security that comes with Japanese brands, the baby food formulas manufactured in Japan are also gaining popularity in other countries, which is expanding the scope of export and packaging. Earlier, Europe was one of the major export destinations for Japan’s baby food products. However, recently, the country started targeting other emerging regions. For instance, in the last few years, the Japanese baby food formulas quickly gained popularity in the Southeast Asian region, especially among the emerging countries.​
• Additionally, a significant increase in the employment of women is being observed in the Asia Pacific region, by virtue of which women get less time to care for their babies through traditional methods. This has created an opportunity for the baby food market, thereby driving the studied market.