Bioplastic Packaging Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Material (Biodegradable, Non-biodegradable), By Type (Flexible, Rigid), By Application, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030

Report Overview

The global bioplastic packaging market size was estimated at USD 12.4 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.9% from 2022 to 2030. The factors that drive the market growth include increasing consumption of renewable and bio-based products, growing demand from the flexible packaging industry, and exceptional properties of bioplastic such as contributing less to carbon footprint and decomposing faster than plastic. However, the price competitiveness of bioplastic packaging over conventional plastics is restraining the market growth to some extent.

The U.S. bioplastics packaging market is expected to rise significantly during the forecast period on account of the growing demand for bio-based packaging in the food and consumer goods sectors. Bio-bags and bio-based plastics have higher tensile strength and are eco-friendly in nature. As a result, the demand for bioplastic packaging is further projected to propel during the projection period.

Moreover, expanding composting infrastructure and rising government efforts to reduce landfilling, through initiatives such as the U.S. 2030 Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal, are anticipated to augment the demand for bio-based bags or compostable bags used in the collection of food leftovers and other organic waste material during the forecast period.

Material Insights

Based on material, the biodegradable segment accounted for 52.1% of the revenue share in the year 2021, owing to the rising demand for bio-based plastics in various end-use industries, which is expected to drive their demand during the assessment period. Biodegradable plastics include polylactic acid, starch blends, PBAT, PBS, PHA, polycaprolactone, and cellulose acetate. Among them, starch blends and PBAT were the largest biodegradable product segment, in terms of revenue, in 2021.

Starch-based plastics are produced from widely available natural resources such as potato, tapioca, wheat, rice, and corn. The abundant availability of resources makes starch blends an ideal alternative to conventional plastics. However, polylactic acid (PLA) is poised to be the fastest-growing segment during the forecast period. The segment growth is anticipated to be driven by the growing product demand in various applications, including packaging, transportation, agriculture, electronics, and textiles.

Low carbon emission by polylactic acid as compared to conventional plastics is significantly fueling the demand for polylactic acid globally. For instance, producing 1 kg of polylactic acid releases approximately 0.5 kg of carbon footprint, whereas the production of conventional polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and low-density polyethylene releases 5.0 kg, 2.2 kg, 2.0 kg, 1.7 kg, and 1.7 kg carbon footprint, respectively.

Type Insights

Based on type, the flexible packaging segment commanded the largest share of 56.2% in the market in the year 2021. Developments in the production of bioplastic technologies, the use of case-ready packaging, and improved packaging practices are anticipated to drive the demand for bioplastics in flexible packaging. Furthermore, the demand for flexible packaging is high, especially for snack foods and beverages.

The surge in demand can be attributed to technological improvements, lifestyle changes of consumers, modern retail trades, and the increasing popularity of quick-service restaurants. For example, consumers, particularly in North America and Europe, prefer packaging that is light and aesthetically appealing. This is likely to increase the use of bioplastic-based flexible packaging in the coming years. 

Application Insights

Based on application, the food and beverages segment commanded the largest share of 58.5% in the market in 2021. The factors that drive the market are the rising demand for packaged food and the popularity of quick-service restaurants. The growing demand for packaged foods is anticipated to prompt manufacturers to increase production capacity, thereby augmenting the market for flexible packaging during the forecast period.

In addition, the rising prominence of nutritional food, along with the European Commission’s initiatives to regulate the use of polymers in food packaging applications, is projected to propel the growth of the bioplastic packaging market. Bioplastic packaging is widely utilized for manufacturing bottles, jars, and containers, as well as for fresh food packaging.

PLA plastic bottles are durable, disposable, and possess properties such as transparency and gloss. Polylactic acid can be easily composted compared to petroleum-based products and does not emit toxic gases on incineration. Thus, its demand in the food packaging segment is expected to remain significantly high during the forecast period. 

Regional Insights

The Europe bioplastics packaging market commanded the largest share of 33.5% in terms of revenue in the year 2021. The region is further anticipated to witness substantial growth in the coming years, owing to the presence of stringent environment-friendly laws, and increasing environmental concerns among consumers.

In addition, government initiatives, such as the decision of the EU to minimize the overall consumption of single-use plastic products, are anticipated to propel the demand for bioplastics during the assessment period. In 2019, the members of the European Parliament voted to ban single-use plastic products such as cutlery and straws as part of a sweeping law against plastic waste that spoils beaches and pollutes oceans. The ban on single-use plastics is expected to come into effect in July 2021.

Bioplastics are broadly used in various essential applications such as refuge bags, shopping bags, loose packaging, agricultural mulch films, and bottles, among others. Approximately, 100 billion bags are used per year in the European Union. The general consumer acceptability of bioplastics is witnessing a rise across all European countries.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The market for bioplastic packaging is expanding significantly. Companies operating in the bioplastic packaging space offer a wide range of packaging solutions for various end-use industries. Moreover, they offer customized packaging products to suit customer-specific requirements.

Key players are increasingly investing in the development of bio-based packaging. For instance, in October 2020, SABIC introduced a pilot project along with Schwarz Group, a European retail store operator, for the use of transparent film bags made from the former’s certified circular polyethylene (PE) in vegetable packaging. The project will include various PE technologies offered by SABIC based on materials produced via feedstock recycling of mixed and used plastics. Some prominent players in the global bioplastic packaging market include:

• Amcor Plc.

• Novamont S.p.A

• NatureWorks, LLC.

• Coveris

• Sealed Air

• Alpha Packaging

• Constantia Flexibles 

• Mondi

• Transcontinental Inc.

• ALPLA

Bioplastic Packaging Market Report Scope 

Global Bioplastic Packaging Market Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at the global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends and opportunities in each of the sub-segments from 2017 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global bioplastic packaging market report based on material, type, application, and region:

• Material Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Biodegradable

    • Polylactic Acid

    • Starch Blends

    • Polybutylene Adipate Terephthalate (PBAT)

    • Polybutylene Succinate (PBS)

    • Others

  • Non-biodegradable

    • Bio Polyethylene

    • Bio Polyethylene Terephthalate

    • Bio Polyamide

    • Others

• Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Flexible

  • Rigid

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Food & Beverages

  • Consumer Goods

  • Cosmetic & Personal Care

  • Pharmaceuticals

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • U.K.

    • Germany

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • Japan

    • India

    • South Korea

    • Australia

  • Central & South America (CSA)

    • Brazil

  • Middle East & Africa (MEA)

    • Saudi Arabia