Market Trends of Japan Plastic Packaging Industry
Increase in Adoption of Light-Weight Packaging
- The lightweight properties of the material have been driving the growth of plastic. Glass is much heavier as compared to plastic, which means more trips are required while transporting. This translates to a more significant environmental impact. Glass is also much heavier for the end consumer, whereas plastic is lightweight and much easier to carry.
- Moreover, out of all the types of plastic, it is anticipated that using PET will help in manufacturing the lightest bottle and container. According to the PETRA, PET is a clear, strong, and lightweight plastic that is widely used for packaging food and beverages, especially convenience-sized soft drinks, juices, and water.
- While on the other hand, the demand for aluminum beverage cans is also significant. The average weight of an empty aluminum can is 14.9 grams. Though these materials are light in weight, the probability of beverage cans being damaged during the transportation is high compared to plastic bottles. Therefore, the lightweight property of plastic has driven its adoption in the manufacturing of bottles and containers.
- One of the major opportunities for vendors who exist in the market studied or new players focusing of targeting opportunities in recycling, is the implementation of New Plastics Economy initiative. It was created to work with businesses, governments, NGOs, academics, and other stakeholders, to shift away from current linear 'take-make-dispose' model and redesign the global plastics system based on the principles of a circular economy.
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Beverage Industry is Observing a Significant Increase
- The market for plastic bottles and containers in the beverage sector is anticipated to witness growth, owing to the never-ending demand for bottled water and non-alcoholic beverages. The demand for bottled water is credited to consumers' propensity for specifically demanding high-quality drinking water, owing to the fear of diseases as an aftermath of drinking polluted tap water and the ease of portability and convenience provided by bottled water.
- Plastic bottles also provide a good shelf life to store the mineral water for an extended period. However, as the world is shifting towards a circular economy, bottled water manufacturers use recycled PET containers to store water. The containers must be kept in a dark place with no light exposure to avoid chemical reactions and bacterial growth. Also, with r-PET, the shelf life of the water bottle has been reduced to 20 days.
- In December 2020, Food & beverage giant PepsiCo announced a new initiative to reach 100% recycled content in plastic Pepsi bottles sold across its nine biggest European markets by 2022. The company would source 100% post-consumer recycled PET (rPET) to house its range of Pepsi drinks.
- Beverages like Sports drinks, energy drinks, and ready-to-drink beverages like coffee and tea are being studied under this segment. With the increasing health consciousness, people are more inclined to sports drinks and energy drink supplements.
