Converted Flexible Packaging Market Research, Consumer Behavior, Demand and Forecast

Converted Flexible Packaging Market Size, Trends, Share and Innovations

The global converted flexible packaging market is expected to increase from USD 284.16 billion in 2025 to USD 381.13 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 3.33% throughout the forecast period from 2025 to 2034. The increasing focus on sustainability and the rising consumer preference for convenient and portable packaging options.

Key Takeaways

• In terms of revenue, the market is valued at USD 284.16 billion in 2025.
• The market is projected to reach USD 381.13 billion by 2034.
• Rapid growth at a CAGR of 3.33% will be observed in the period between 2025 and 2034.
• Asia Pacific dominated the converted flexible packaging market in 2024.
• North America is expected to grow at a significant CAGR during the forecast period.
• By material, the plastic segment dominated the market with the largest revenue share.
• By material, the paper segment is expected to grow at a significant CAGR in the coming years.
• By application, the food and beverages segment dominated the market in 2024.
• By application, the pharmaceuticals segment is expected to grow at a notable CAGR during the projection period.

Market Overview

In the packaging industry, converted flexible packaging is the type of packaging that combines raw materials such as plastics, aluminium foil, adhesives, polyesters, and paper to manufacture final packaging products, which include pouches, bags, sachets, cartons, and films. This type of packaging is widely utilized by end-user industries such as consumer goods, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, personal care, and others. The packaging products are generally easy to store, convenient for transportation, protect from contamination, and provide a longer shelf life.

What are the Key Trends Driving the Growth of the Converted Flexible Packaging Market?

• The rapid technological improvement to enhance the shelf-life and safeguard the package from bacteria and other contaminants, with material advances in thinner multiwall bags, significantly fuels the market’s growth.
• The rapid urbanization, along with the changing lifestyles, is expected to spur the consumer demand for convenient, ready-to-eat, and processed foods.
• The rising demand for packaged and processed food products is expected to drive the market’s revenue during the forecast period.
• The incorporation of smart packaging technology includes advanced features such as RFID tags, QR codes, NFC tags, and printed electronics, assisting in offering better product tracking, verification, improved safety, and enhanced consumer experiences.
• The rising need for sustainable packaging materials, which are lightweight and cost-effective, is accelerating the market’s growth during the forecast period.
• The increasing focus of key players on better protection of goods and extending the shelf life is anticipated to contribute to the growth of the market during the forecast period.

How is Artificial Intelligence Integration Affecting the Packaging Industry?

As technology continues to evolve, artificial intelligence (AI) integration holds the potential to reshape the entire packaging landscape by improving manufacturing efficiency, boosting sustainability, and optimizing material usage. Machine learning (ML) algorithms assist businesses in accurately evaluating production data, predicting potential material waste, and improving resource utilization, which results in reducing cost and minimizing environmental footprints.

AI-powered predictive maintenance systems in converted flexible packaging facilities assist in improving equipment efficiency, minimizing production disruptions, reducing downtime, and boosting productivity. In addition, AI integration is widely being used in smart packaging technologies, like QR codes, NFC tags, and RFID tags. These technological innovations enable real-time tracking, authentication, and improve the consumer experience. These technologies enable real-time tracking of products throughout the supply chain, from manufacturing to retail shelves.

Market Dynamics

Driver

Growing consumer demand for convenient and sustainable packaging

Consumers are increasingly seeking products that offer flexible packaging owing to their lightweight, portability, ease of storage, space efficiency, and longer shelf life. Over the years, sustainability has played a crucial role in packaging decisions, encouraging businesses across multiple industries such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and personal care sectors to adopt biodegradable, recyclable, and compostable materials. Therefore, lightweight packaging products lower transportation expenses and minimize carbon emissions, which makes it a preferable choice for companies focusing on environmental sustainability while ensuring cost-effectiveness and reducing plastic waste.

Restraint

Rising environmental concerns and recycling issues

The increasing environmental concerns and recycling issues related to plastic waste are expected to hamper the market's growth. The market often faces the challenge of the complexity of recycling multi-layer packaging materials, which include plastics, aluminum, and other materials. The increasing regulatory pressures on packaging industries are pushing them to adopt sustainable alternatives. In addition, the fluctuation in the price of raw materials, which are widely used in flexible packaging, can adversely impact the profitability of manufacturers. Such factors may hinder the growth of the global converted flexible packaging market during the forecast period.

Opportunity

Expansion of the e-commerce industry

The increasing popularity of e-commerce platforms and online grocery shopping has led to an increasing demand for lightweight, adaptable, and protective packaging options. Pouches, bags, cartons, and films are most widely adopted for their lightweight, space-saving, and cost-effectiveness characteristics across various industries such as pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, and personal care items. Converted flexible packaging significantly assists in reducing transportation costs and enhancing logistics efficiency. Moreover, the surge in direct-to-consumer brands with a focus on enhancing brand visibility and consumer engagement is expected to fuel the market’s expansion in the coming years.

Segment Insights

Which Material Dominated the Converted Flexible Packaging Market in 2024?

The plastic segment holds a dominant presence in the global market. The growth of the segment is attributed to the rising preference for resealable and single-use convenience packaging. Plastic-based flexible packaging, including polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyethylene terephthalate, offers high strength-to-weight ratios, lower shipping costs, excellent moisture resistance, and longer shelf life, ideal for food and beverage and pharmaceutical items. Plastic protects the product from contamination and reduces product damage during storage and transit. Moreover, plastic films and laminates are extensively used for wraps, pouches, and labels, providing tamper resistance and robust protection.

On the other hand, the paper segment is expected to grow at a significant rate, owing to the rising environmental concerns, bans on single-use plastics, and rising business and consumer focus on sustainability. Biodegradable materials, such as plant-based polymers, starch-based films, and others, are increasingly gaining immense popularity in personal care, food packaging, and pharmaceutical industries.

Why Does the Food and Beverages Segment Dominate the Converted Flexible Packaging Market?

The food and beverages segment accounts for a significant share of the converted flexible packaging market owing to the rising consumption of food products, surge in global population growth, rising disposable income, and rapid urbanization. Converted flexible packaging is widely adopted in the food and beverage industry in the form of lightweight bags, pouches, and sachets. Several companies are focused on innovating and launching sustainable products for the food and beverage industry.

• In September 2024, Pakka, a leading manufacturer of compostable packaging solutions, unveiled an exciting new range of flexible compostable packaging aimed at addressing the rising demand for sustainable packaging options in the food and beverages sector. This innovative product line is designed to contribute to a cleaner planet while providing effective solutions for various packaging needs.

On the other hand, the pharmaceuticals segment is expected to grow due to the increasing demand for child-resistant, tamper-proof designs, regulatory compliance-driven, and anti-counterfeit packaging solutions. The pharmaceutical industry relies on converted flexible packaging solutions for a wide range of pharmaceutical products, including capsules, tablets, liquids, and others, to ensure safety, prolonged shelf life, ease of handling, cost-effectiveness, and accurate dosage administration.

According to the data published by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), meat processing is the largest industry group in food and beverage manufacturing, with 26.2% of sales in 2021. Other important industry groups by sales include dairy (12.8%), other foods (12.4%), beverages (11.3%), and grain and oilseeds (10.4%).

Regional Insights 

Asia Pacific Dominates the Market with the Highest Revenue Share

Asia Pacific has a well-established packaging sector supporting food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and personal care industries, prominent users of converted flexible packaging solutions. The region's high per capita income drives demand for convenient and lightweight packaging products. The rapid shift toward biodegradable, recyclable, compostable materials and plant-based packaging solutions, mainly due to the regulatory pressures to minimize carbon emissions and boost environmental sustainability, significantly fuels the regional market’s growth. Additionally, the rising expansion of the e-commerce industry necessitates converted flexible packaging solutions, accelerating the expansion of the converted flexible packaging market in the region.

• According to the article published by the Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce in May 2025, e-commerce sales in the first quarter of 2025 accounted for 16.2 percent of total sales.

The North American Market Represents the Fastest Growth

North America has a well-established packaging sector supporting food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and personal care industries, prominent users of converted flexible packaging solutions. The region's high per capita income drives demand for convenient and lightweight packaging products. The rapid shift toward biodegradable, recyclable, compostable materials and plant-based packaging solutions, mainly due to the regulatory pressures to minimize carbon emissions and boost environmental sustainability, significantly fuels the regional market’s growth. Additionally, the rising expansion of the e-commerce industry necessitates converted flexible packaging solutions, accelerating the expansion of the converted flexible packaging market in the region.

• According to the article published by the Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce in May 2025, e-commerce sales in the first quarter of 2025 accounted for 16.2 percent of total sales.

Converted Flexible Packaging Market Key Players

• Winpak
• ProAmpac
• Sealed Air
• Avery Dennison
• Amcor
• Berry Global
• Coveris
• Clondalkin Group
• CCL Industries
• Glenroy
• Hood Packaging
• Smurfit Kappa
• Mondi
• Constantia Flexibles
• Groupe Guillin

Latest Announcement by the Industry Leader

• In October 2024, Sabic, Lamb Weston, and Opackgroup announced a collaboration to develop sustainable packaging. Sabic has joined forces with major global brand owner and producer of frozen potato products, Lamb Weston, and flexible packaging producer Opackgroup, in a closed-loop process designed to create low-weight sustainable packaging bags made with a thin coextrusion film structure.

Recent Developments

• In August 2023, Toppan, Mitsui Chemicals Tohcello, and Mitsui Chemicals announced the launch of pilot testing this month for horizontally recycling printed BOPP film back into new flexible packaging film. Through this joint pilot testing initiative, the three companies aim to establish technologies and operational infrastructure for the horizontal recycling of flexible packaging materials, as well as leverage network growth in the flexible packaging materials industry to advance and expand the horizontal recycling of flexible packaging film.
• In March 2025, Nextek and Coveris partnered to transform the mechanical recycling of flexible films with the COtooClean process. The partnership aims to convert post-consumer polyolefin (PE and PP) packaging waste into high-quality food-grade recycled resins and films. Both companies develop a demonstration plant in the UK to collect the data needed to meet regulatory requirements.

Converted Flexible Packaging Market Segments

By Material

• Plastic Film
• Paper
• Aluminum Foil
• Biodegradable materials

By Application

• Retail
• Food and Beverage
• Pharmaceutical
• Non-Food
• Other Applications

By Region

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • Germany
  • UK
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Denmark
  • Norway
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • Japan
  • India
  • South Korea
  • Thailand
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Argentina
• Middle East and Africa (MEA)
  • South Africa
  • UAE
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Kuwait