Fresh Food Packaging Market Size, Trends & Growth Rate

Fresh Food Packaging Market Size, Trends & Growth Insights

The fresh food packaging market size to rise from USD 98.18 billion in 2025 to USD 115.77 billion by 2030. Asia Pacific witnessed the highest revenue share for the year 2023 while North America is estimated to grow at the fastest rate over the forecast period.

Fresh Food Packaging Market Size and Growing Importance

The fresh food packaging market size is calculated at USD 95 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach around USD 132.08 billion by 2034. The market is expanding at a CAGR of 3.35% between 2024 and 2034.

Fresh Food Packaging Market Size 2023 – 2034

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The market is observed to grow due to the rising demand for convenience food items availability and to extend the shelf-life period of the food by premium packaging.

Market Overview

The fresh food packaging market is growing significantly due to the advanced packaging systems available. The rising tendency to eat healthy food has raised the concern for convenient, sustainable, and safe packaging. The major focus is to pack food to protect the quality of the food for a longer period and provide convenience to the consumers. This market contains a wide range of materials to manufacture suitable packaging products such as glass, plastic, paper, and various other biodegradable options. Rising concern for manufacturing eco-friendly products has raised the development of these packaging. The major factor behind the growth of this market is the increasing preference for fresh packaged foods, mainly in this changing lifestyle and rising awareness about the health and wellness of people.

  • Changing Preferences: Customers' continuously changing preferences due to their busy lifestyles and eating habits have boosted the market's growth rapidly.
  • Technological Advancement: Due to advancements in packaging technology, several details can be attached to the packaging to let customers know about the food they consume.
  • Sustainability: Growing production of sustainable packaging has boosted the market significantly.
  • Customer Demand: The rising demand for convenient packaging of fresh food along with safety to maintain its quality has grown the market.

AI Integration in the Fresh Food Packaging Market

AI-integrated packaging technologies play an important part in increasing the shelf life of fresh food items, eventually helping to decrease food waste. These advanced solutions use sensors for monitoring the humidity, temperature, and other aspects to guarantee ideal food protection. Market players incorporating AI in the packaging industry to improve food safety majors and widely contribute to decreasing the environmental impact of waste food. Through active alterations to packing conditions, AI incorporation increases product durability and reduces food waste, suitable for achieving sustainability goals.

Artificial intelligence incorporation permits continuous observation of food products, confirming quality regulators and freshness preservation. By leveraging advanced AI packaging with real-time monitoring facilities, the technology can promptly sense any aberrations in the condition of the food, thus increasing its shelf life and decreasing waste suggestively. These AI-incorporated systems decrease food waste and increase food safety by giving biological and chemical safety.

Market Dynamics: Major Drivers and Opportunities to Open Doors

Growing Demand for Convenient Food Packaging

Customers nowadays are highly concerned regarding their eating choices which makes them conscious of the products they purchase and their packaging. Due to the growing number of working people the demand for packaged and ready-to-eat food increasing rapidly ultimately influencing the demand for longer shelf life of food products. The demand for improved food packaging rising to maintain the nutritional value and freshness of food products.

Technological developments in packing materials and procedures are also contributing to the development of the market. Revolutions such as MAP (modified atmosphere packaging), vacuum skin wrapping, and dynamic packaging are improving the defence of fresh food products. These technologies support decreasing food leftovers by delaying the decay procedure, thus providing an extended shelf life and preserving product freshness.

An important trend boosting the growth of the fresh food packaging market is sustainability. With rising awareness about environmental issues and plastic contamination, there is a growing demand for environment-friendly packaging techniques. Major market players are advancing compostable, recyclable, and biodegradable materials to fulfil customer expectations and supervisory necessities. Sustainable packaging solutions decrease the carbon footprint and increase brand identity and customer constancy.

  • In January 2024, Accredo Packaging collaborated with Fresh-Lock to develop Sustainable and Child-Resistant Stand-Up Pouch.

Smart Packaging Technology: To Enhance Market’s Potential

Smart packaging technology is transforming the fresh food packaging market. These advanced solutions integrate sensors and pointers that help to observe the condition of the food by maintaining factors such as humidity, temperature, and freshness levels. Smart packaging safeguards the taste and quality of fresh food but also offers appreciated data to both customers and producers. For example, time-temperature indicators can aware customers if a food item has been uncovered to extreme temperatures, thus stopping foodborne diseases.

Personalized packaging techniques are increasing demand in the market, fulfilling certain requirements and likings of separate customers. Personalized packaging strategies, small packaging, and other packaging that accommodates eating limitations are becoming more popular. Customization increases customer practice but also decreases food waste by delivering suitable-sized servings.

Continuous fluctuation in packaged fresh food harms the growth of the market. It has been hampered due to the changing rate of food products. Due to such fluctuation market players suffer huge losses sometimes that hinder growth. The unavailability of certain food products also hinders the growth of the market due to the off-season sometimes. 

Segmental Insights

High-Quality Preservation: Plastic Packaging Segment Led in 2023

The plastic segment is leading in fresh food packaging as these are found to be cost-effective solutions. Its affordability permits extensive use, providing industries and customers with a budget-friendly solution that doesn’t negotiate on excellence or functionality. Plastic fresh food packaging is well-known for its durability, which confirms that foods are kept protected. Extended shelf life and transport safety can help protect food from perishability. The correct packaging can restrict damage and decrease the quantity of food waste.  Plastic packaging is easy to print designs. It enhances the brand visibility by easily displaying products across all their fresh food items if packaged in easily-printable plastic containers.

Extending Shelf Life: Vaccum Skin Packaging Segment Led in 2023

Vaccum skin packaging has influenced the fresh food packaging market by technological type. It can enhance the shelf life of fresh food, maintain the quality of the food, and improve the appearance of the food. This slows down the decaying, oxygen acquaintance, and microorganism growth in the food products. One of the major reasons for the growing demand for vaccum skin packaging is it helps to protect the texture and colour of food. It is an expensive side than any other packaging process due to its procedure but due to the quality it provides majority of people choose this type of packaging with growing health and wellness awareness.

Transportation For Longer Distance: Rigid Packaging Segment Led in 2023

Rigid fresh food packaging can be available in any shape and size in the market which influences the demand for this. It can fit products perfectly in containers and preserve the nutritional value of the food items. This type of packaging is preferred to transport products to a longer distance without any damage. These are highly durable, and strong, and do not damage easily due to any hindrance while travelling. Rigid packaging is adopted to pack fruits, dry fruits, vegetables, meat, dietary products, and ready-to-eat food packaging. It provides top-quality protection to avoid any contamination due to the effect of light, moisture, air, and various other reasons.

Safe and Efficient Transport: Food Shipper Segment Led in 2023

The packaging market plays a vital role in shipping food to different places which requires the safety of food. These shippers are extensively used for bulk product packaging and protect food products from any kind of damage while transporting. This kind of packaging is important for wrapping and transporting food items such as dairy, frozen products, fresh products, meats, and a wide range of food items to deliver by regulating temperature to avoid any kind of damage at any adverse condition.

Rising demand for online ordering of grocery products has enlarged the food shipper segment extensively. As the demand for fresh and high-quality products is growing among customers so majority of brands prefer to use them. With the rise of global trade, major market players prefer food shippers to transport products due to advanced technology incorporation and the capacity to regulate temperature to keep food products safe.

Regional Insights

Rapid Urbanization: Asia to Sustain as a Leader

Asia Pacific witnessed the highest revenue share for the year 2023 this growth is due to rising urbanization, growing disposable earnings, changing lifestyles, and rapid growth in the demand for freshly packaged food. The developing economic condition of people in countries such as India, Japan, China, South Korea, and Thailand growing demand for ready-to-eat food. The major shift towards cities and working couples led to a lack of time and a rising number of e-commerce platforms has significantly improved the fresh food packaging market. The vacuum skin packaging (VSP) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) enhanced the food preservation quality of food.

  • In August 2024, Pakka Limited collaborated with Brawny Bear to develop India’s first energy bars with compostable flexible packaging. 

Premium Food Products: North America to Sustain as Fastest Growing Region

North America is estimated to grow at the fastest rate over the forecast period. The growing demand for premium and convenient packaging of food products with strict regulation towards the packaging industry has influenced the fresh food packaging market significantly. This region is well-developed and the working population is growing rapidly resulting in a rising demand for fresh food packaging with advanced technology. In countries such as the U.S. and Canada, there is a huge rise in demand for sustainable packaging of a wide range of products and strict government regulations for packaging companies have influenced the market development.

  • In August 2024, Fresh Inset, announced the launch of Vidre+ Complex. It is developed with the full potential of 1-MCP (1-Methylcyclopropene) application across the entire supply chain, to the United States.

Fresh Food Packaging Market Companies

Fresh Food Packaging Market Companies

  • Kruger Packaging
  • Crown Holdings, Inc
  • Ball Corporation
  • Amcor
  • Sealed Air Corporation
  • Crown Holdings, Inc
  • Smurfit Kappa
  • Mondi
  • Tetra Pak
  • ECO GEM BIO-TECH PVT LTD.
  • Prafal Agro LLP
  • SUNN BIOTECH SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
  • Muhurat Mithaas

Recent Developments

  • In October 2024, Bolthouse Fresh Foods, announced the launch of three flavorful, fresh carrot products in vibrant new Bolthouse Fresh packaging.
  • In November 2023, Fresh Del Monte Inc., announced its collaboration with Arena Packaging to develop Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) for bananas. 
  • In July 2023, iD Fresh, announced the launch of iD Squeeze & Fry Vada Batter 2.0. It is developed with an unique product packaging. 

Fresh Food Packaging Market Segments

By Material Type

  • Paper
  • Plastic
  • Glass
  • Metal

By Technology

  • Vacuum Skin Packaging (VSP)
  • Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP)
  • Aseptic Packaging
  • Retort Processing

By Packaging Format

  • Rigid Packaging
  • Rigid Boxes
  • Folding Cartons
  • Food Trays
  • Container and Jars

By End Use

  • Food Producers & Processors
  • Food Shipper
  • Food Re-packers
  • Retailers

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
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  • Insight Code: 5379
  • No. of Pages: 150
  • Format: PDF/PPT/Excel
  • Published: November 2024
  • Report Covered: [Revenue + Volume]
  • Historical Year: 2021-2022
  • Base Year: 2023
  • Estimated Years: 2024-2033

Meet the Team

Saurabh Bidwai is a market research expert with 4+ years in food and beverage packaging, specializing in sustainability, consumer insights, market trends, and competitive analysis to drive innovative packaging solutions.

Learn more about Saurabh Bidwai

Aditi Shivarkar, with 14+ years in packaging market research, specializes in food, beverage, and eco-friendly packaging. She ensures accurate, actionable insights, driving Towards Packaging 's excellence in industry trends and sustainability.

Learn more about Aditi Shivarkar

Related Insights

FAQ's

Air-tight and water-tight packaging keep food products fresh.

Sustainable and Smart packaging is the future of the fresh food packaging industry.

It protects from heat, humidity, light, and other external products.

The fresh food packaging market size is calculated at USD 95 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach around USD 132.08 billion by 2034.

3.35% is the growth rate of the fresh food packaging industry.

Asia Pacific region leads the global fresh food packaging market.

Kruger Packaging, Crown Holdings, Inc, Ball Corporation, Amcor, Sealed Air Corporation, Crown Holdings, Inc, Smurfit Kappa, Mondi, Tetra Pak, ECO GEM BIO-TECH PVT LTD., Prafal Agro LLP, SUNN BIOTECH SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS, Muhurat Mithaas are the prominent players operating in the fresh food packaging market.

U.S Environmental Protection Agency, Invest India.