Glass Packaging Market - Growth, Trends, Covid-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

Glass Packaging Market - Growth, Trends, Covid-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The global glass packaging market was estimated at USD 75.82 billion in 2021. It is expected to register a CAGR of 4.39%, reaching USD 97.78 billion within the next five years. Glass packaging is considered one of the most trusted forms of packaging for health, taste, and environmental safety. Glass packaging, considered premium, maintains the freshness and safety of the product. This can ensure its continuous usage worldwide, across a range of end-user industries, despite the heavy competition from plastic packaging.

• Rising consumer demand for safe and healthier packaging helps glass packaging grow in different categories. Also, innovative technologies for embossing, shaping, and adding artistic finishes to glass make glass packaging more desirable among end-users. Furthermore, factors such as the increasing demand for eco-friendly products and the rising demand from the food and beverage market stimulate the market's growth.
• Also, the recyclable nature of glass makes it environmentally the most desired packaging type. Lightweight glass has become a significant innovation, offering the same resistance as conventional glass materials and higher stability, reducing the volume of raw materials and CO2 emitted.
• According to European Container Glass Federations (FEVE), 162 manufacturing plants are distributed all over Europe, and container glass is an essential contributor to Europe’s real economy and employs about 50,000 people while creating many job opportunities along the total supply chain.
• From a regional point of view, emerging markets like India and China are witnessing high demand for beer, soft drinks, and ciders due to the consumers’ increasing per capita spending and changing lifestyles. However, the increasing operational costs and growing usage of substitute products, such as plastics and tin, are restraining the market growth.
• One of the main challenges for the market is the increased competition from alternative forms of packaging, such as aluminum cans and plastic containers. As these items are lighter in weight than bulky glass, they are gaining popularity among manufacturers and customers because of the lower cost involved in their carriage and transportation.
• Glass packaging was considered an essential industry by most countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The industry is witnessing increased demand from the food & beverage and pharmaceutical sectors. There has been increased demand for glass packaging from the F&B and pharmaceutical sectors, as the COVID-19 pandemic has led to greater demand for medicine bottles, food jars, and beverage bottles.
• Moreover, during the pandemic, consumers recognized the sustainable benefits of glass packaging. In a survey of over 10,000 consumers from 10 countries by industry experts, glass and paper-based cartons were considered the most sustainable, and multi-substrate packaging was viewed as the least sustainable.

• Premiumization trends have played a role in selecting glass packaging for various beverage categories, including soft drinks. Soft drinks hold a significant share of the market studied, owing to the popularity of such drinks worldwide. Soft drinks offer a wide variety of flavors and formats, with something to suit every drinking occasion.
• The market for glass packaging in the alcoholic beverage industry faces intense competition from the metal packaging segment in the form of cans. However, it is expected to maintain its share during the forecast period due to its usage of premium products. The growth is expected across different beverage products, like juices, coffee, tea, soups, and non-dairy beverages.
• Among alcoholic beverages, beer witnessed tremendous growth in the past few years. The majority of beer volume is sold in glass bottles, driving the need for increased production rates in the glass packaging industry. The increasing demand for premium variants of alcoholic drinks is driving the growth of glass bottles. Developing nations, like India, are also showing a much higher quality perception of beer.
• Returnable glass bottles are a cost-effective option for companies to deliver their products. This form of packaging is used mainly in the non-alcoholic beverage industry. About 70% of the bottles used for natural mineral water are made of plastic. The choice of bottled-water packaging material is increasing, considering environmental considerations.
• Beverage companies like Coke and PepsiCo are trying to avoid plastic packaging. For instance, PepsiCo is looking to prevent the use of 67 billion plastic bottles through 2025, and the alternative for that is expected to be glass bottles.
• The global dairy industry has been witnessing a shift from plastic to glass bottles, driven by consumer demand for environmentally friendly milk. Diary companies such as Milk & More and Parker Dairies have found a substantial increase in the demand for glass bottles as consumers are willing to pay a little extra for the service rather than plastic in their efforts to help the environment.
• The introduction of growlers and sustainable glasses/mugs has enabled taprooms and microbreweries to increase their sales from delivery and takeaway.

• The increasing consumption of alcoholic beverages is driving market growth in the Asia-Pacific region. The beer packaging industry in the Asia-Pacific region is mainly driven by changing cultural trends, growing populations, urbanization, and the growing popularity of beer among the younger lot. Owing to various investments and the increasing diffusion of beer in different regions, changing trends are expected to continue in this region, which in turn can stimulate the glass bottles and containers market.
• China is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical markets. Compared to many industrialized countries, healthcare spending is still modest. The country is steadily improving its domestic drug research and development skills and its domestic medication production, allowing the government to provide affordable health care to an increasing number of Chinese people.
• Additionally, alcohol consumption in China has been significantly increasing over the years. As per the Brazil-based bank Banco do Nordeste, the consumption of alcoholic beverages in China is expected to increase the demand for glass packaging in the upcoming years. Also, many alcoholic beverage companies seek to expand in the country to seize the opportunity.
• Furthermore, Japan has been emphasizing recycling glass containers and bottles to reduce its carbon footprint and has built multiple glass recycling plants across the country. Currently, it has over 18 glass recycling plants accepting glass bottles and containers to form glass culets and powder. The robust recycling infrastructure, in a way, promotes the use of glass packaging due to its functional property advantages.​
• Also, developing countries such as India have increased beer consumption. Re-usage of glass packaging solutions, especially bottles, is increasing in India as Indian consumers emphasize health; they prefer glass packaging over other options, as it prevents leaching from the surface.

The global glass packaging market is highly competitive due to the strong presence of major players worldwide. The competition is also intense due to the presence of substitutes, as many companies in the industry are trying to innovate consistently to retain their market share.

• March 2022 - HEINZ-GLAS GmbH & Co. KGaA commissioned a new glass melting furnace at its Kleintettau location. The project involved investments of around EUR 15 million (USD 14.795 million).
• January 2022 - Gerresheimer announced that it is expanding its capacities for glass vials at the Wertheim site and two other locations in the United States and China. The company was investing in production in Wertheim to increase vial capacity by 150 million units per year.

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