Market Trends of Pouch Packaging Industry
The Candy and Snack Foods Segment is Expected to Drive the Demand for Pouch Packaging
- The changing lifestyles of consumers worldwide have resulted in increased demand for ready-to-eat foods, which are at an all-time high. With the new-age working population working round the clock and Gen Z looking for everything handy, ready-to-eat foods have emerged as the best solution.
- In addition, pouch packaging manufacturers have started integrating new and advanced technologies that offer superior barrier capabilities and effectively protect the product from moisture and oxygen. This convenient packaging is essential for the long shelf life of ready-to-eat food products, where the integrity of the product is of prime importance.
- Flexible pouches offer convenience to consumers and producers of baked goods and snack foods. Over the past decade, aspects such as busy lifestyles, more women in the workforce, and growing industrialization have strengthened the need for ready-to-eat snack packaged foods and snacks globally.
- The growing snack food industry and the increasing demand for flexible packaging solutions for various snack foods boost the market's growth. Companies focus on snack packaging designs that cater to evolving consumer preferences and provide innovative, flexible packaging solutions specifically for snack pouches. For instance, in October 2023, Walkers, a British snack food firm, announced launching paper pouches for its baked multipacks snacks range.
- Additionally, in January 2024, Nomadic Snacks introduced ready-to-go pouches for people with busy lifestyles. These pouches are portable, nourishing filling, and ideal for people constantly moving. Such constant innovations are expected to bolster the market during the forecast period.
- The increasing consumption of savory snacks in North America is due to the changing consumer lifestyle and the growing popularity of different flavors of snacks for various occasions. This is expected to have a positive impact on the market. According to SNAC International, a United States-based organization, Americans consumed around 118 million pounds of savory snacks during Super Bowl Week in 2023, which increased by 29% compared to the previous year.
- According to data by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, a government agency, the retail sales of snacks in Canada reached USD 13.40 billion in 2023 from USD 12.38 billion in 2022. They are projected to reach USD 15 billion by the end of 2025. The increasing sales of snacks are expected to aid the growth of the pouch packaging market owing to the need for convenient packaging solutions.
The Latin American Pouch Packaging Market is Shifting Toward Sustainability and Pet-Friendly Trends
- Pouch packaging is widely adopted across regional industries for varied purposes. One of the primary adopters of pouch packs is the food and beverage industry, owing to the beverage companies increasing production capacities, long-term demand, and adaptation of recyclable plastics through government initiatives in different countries.
- The Latin American pouch packaging market has increasingly emphasized sustainability as an emerging trend. To address environmental concerns, manufacturers use recycled and recyclable materials for the pouch packaging. Production processes are also developing to reduce water consumption and carbon emissions, according to the increasing emphasis on ecological good practices worldwide.
- Plastrela, a Brazilian converter, developed a snack-size PET standup pouch for Adimax in November 2023. The standup pouch is more easily recycled than the conventional PET/PE SUP structure. It replaces the traditional multilayer PET substrate and polyethylene (PE) sealant with a new mono-material PE (polyethylene) packaging that is easier to recycle.
- Additionally, owning and caring for pets is a very urban phenomenon and is gradually increasing in Latin American countries. Argentina has the highest rate of pet ownership per capita compared to other countries in the world. The major factors driving the demand for pet food included increasing pet ownership, rising per capita disposable income, and increasing nuclear families, particularly in urban areas.
- A standup pouch is preferred for packing high-quality pet food as it delivers high packaging performance. Several manufacturers are constantly increasing their investments in sophisticated pet food packaging. As the popularity of instant pet food grows, convenience will play an essential role in developing this industry.