Packaging Industry in China - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

Packaging Industry in China - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

The packaging industry in China is expected to register a CAGR of 13.5% during the forecast period (2021-2026). The growing per capita income and the changing social climate and demographics are some of the factors that greatly influence the Chinese packaging industry. This change has stirred the need for new packaging materials, methods, and formats.

Key Highlights

• The rise of e-commerce giants, like Alibaba, in the country is expected to drive the packaging market, over the forecast period. For instance, during the ten days of the Alibaba's Double 11 shopping festival, Chinese consumers received nearly 1.9 billion packages.
• The growing trend toward health consciousness drives the packaging industry to look for innovative food and beverage packaging materials. These materials are expected to have antimicrobial properties and mechanical strength that maintains the freshness of the product for a longer time. This is expected to drive the consumption of packaged food, which helps in driving the use of packaging materials in the country.
• Similarly, the increasing need for quality water and health-conscious drinking habits are expected to increase the consumption of bottled water, which directly influences the packaging industry in the region. For instance, according to DCC China, the consumption of bottled water is expected to reach 49 million metric ton, by 2020.
• An increase in the number of logistics firms, fueled by the rise in online shopping, could promote the packaging industry in the region positively. For instance, according to State Post Bureau statistics from 2017, logistics companies delivered 76,000 parcels per minute.
• However, China's plastic waste ban poses as a restraint for the development of the packaging industry in the country.

Key Market TrendsPlastic Packaging is Expected to Show a Slow Growth Owing to Ban on Plastics

• To reduce the plastic footprint, China recently imposed a ban on plastics, which would result in the countrywide prohibition to the usage of plastics that could affect the packing industry drastically.
• Industries, such as e-commerce, food and beverage, and logistics, which rely greatly on plastics for packaging would have to look for alternatives to keep their businesses up and running. This would result in the downfall of the packing industry in the country.
• However, this ban presents an opportunity for plastic manufacturers to develop a biodegradable packaging solution that enables them to support their business activities, which could enable the packaging industry to maintain sustainable growth.
• Various initiatives by the NGOs, government, producers, retailers, recyclers, and consumers are expected to hurt the packaging industry in the country.
• For instance, in September 2017, local NGOs, together with Hong Kong’s leading beverage producers and bottlers, along with major retailers and the waste industry, announced the formation of the Single-use Beverage Packaging Working Group (SUBPWG) aimed at reducing single-use packaging.
• China has been the home for recycling plastic waste sent to its shores by the western countries. These are recycled and used for its purposes in various industries, and packaging is one of them.

Food and Beverage Industry to Hold the Largest Share

• The increase in the number of middle-class people has increased the demand for imported food products. This, along with high purchasing power, is driving the growth of the packaging industry in the region.
• According to the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources of Australia, China is constrained by its limited and degrading agricultural resources, which have raised concerns on the country's ability to meet the increasing demand for food supply from domestic production.
• Henceforth, it would be imperative for the government to look for options, such as the import of food items, which would require sustainable packaging that would protect the product from any damage and degradation. This, in turn, would boost the packaging industry in the region.
• The government's initiatives against food safety procedures and food scandals have led to the revision of the existing Food Safety Law, which would drive the packaging industry in the region to look for better options, in terms of packaging materials.
• For instance, Article 1 of the revised Food Safety Law aims at securing food safety and ensure public health and life safety, while Article 2 specifies the applicable parties. One of which is the production and distribution of packaging materials, containers, detergents, and disinfectants used for food and of tools and equipment used for food production and distribution.

Competitive Landscape

The competitive rivalry in the plastic packaging industry is high, owing to the presence of some key players like Sealed Air Corporation, Transpak, Inc., Tetra Pak International SA, and many more. Companies can gain a competitive advantage over their competitors, with the ability to constantly innovate products and introduce new products in the market that support their growth. Significant investment in research and development activities and strategic mergers and acquisitions have allowed the companies to gain a strong foothold in the market.

Jan 2019 - Amcor and Danone partnered to develop a new package for its new all-natural spoonable yogurt sold in Argentina. The new PET jar supports the 100% natural positioning of Danone’s La Serenísima’s yogurt, with featured engraving, a finely finished base, and a body-wrap label.

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support

Companies Mentioned

Transpak Inc.
Plastipak Holdings Inc.
Amcor Limited
Guangzhou Yifeng Printing & Packaging Co. Ltd
Daklapack Group
Mondi PLC
Tetra Pak International SA
Jiangyin Aluminum Foil Packaging East Asia Co. Ltd
Wipak Group
Sealed Air Corporation

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