US Demand for Food Containers to Reach $26.7 Billion in 2015

US demand for food containers is forecast to increase 3.0 percent per year through 2015 to $26.7 billion, or nearly 300 billion units.

Advances will be based on an expanding population base, improved real growth in disposable personal income, smaller household sizes, consumer demand for foods offering a combination of convenience and value, and heightened usage of value-added packaging providing enhanced freshness protection and convenience of use. Unit expansion will be aided by the growing popularity of single-serving packaging in an increasing range of applications. These and other trends are presented in Food Containers: Rigid & Flexible, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry market research firm.

Plastic containers, and bags and pouches will experience the fastest growth among food container types, continuing to supplant paperboard, metal and glass containers. Plastic container advances will be driven by advantages over glass, metal and paperboard alternatives, including light weight, strength, heat resistance and barrier properties. Plastic containers have a well-established presence in many markets and their combination of light weight and good barrier performance will propel continued growth. Above-average growth for bags and pouches will be the result of cost and performance advantages that will enable continued inroads into rigid packaging applications. Moreover, inherent sustainability qualities of bags and pouches, such as reduced material requirements and shipping costs compared to rigid containers, will drive gains as brand owners seek to reduce the environmental footprint of their packaging.

Paperboard container demand will benefit from further introductions of microwaveable foods, which often use susceptor-equipped folding cartons for improved microwave oven performance. Aseptic cartons will gain ground against metal cans in uses such as soups and canned specialties, and sauces and condiments. Metal can demand will be supported by advantages of long shelf life, improved convenience via easy-opening tops and the positioning of canned foods as a means of controlling food expenditures. Glass food container demand will be helped by a premium image, which will promote opportunities in the growing organic and/or natural foods segments.