Plastic Bags & Sacks Global Market Report

Should single use carrier bags be banned? Discussions on this topic increase in the media of many countries. More and more countries try to banish lightweight plastic bags in particular from retail or at least to reduce their consumption. However, not only carrier bags belong to the sector bags and sacks: The current Ceresana bags and sacks market report, which is already the second edition, also provides extensive information on garbage bags and sacks, heavy duty and industry sacks as well as pouch packaging for foodstuffs. Many different influential factors affect this complex market. Besides several plastic types (mainly LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP, and woven plastic strips), the study also covers bags and sacks made of paper.

Industrial Bags Strongly Dependent on Economy

Demand for heavy duty and industry sacks depends to a large extent on the economic development of the respective countries. Trade links are very important for transport packaging: Demand can profit from free trade agreements and free movement of goods; protectionist measures and trade barriers, however, can impede market dynamics. Furthermore, the construction economy in particular has a decisive impact since construction materials are often transported and traded in woven plastic or polyethylene bags. The fundamental trends regarding the development of the economy as well as the construction industry are therefore analyzed in detail in the individual country profiles (2.1.1 to 2.5.5).

Bags Profit from Packaging Industry Trends

Bags and sacks provide benefits that are desirable for consumers and the lightweight packaging industry: good printability, material saving, appealing looks, and increasingly often resealability. Their usability for food continues to increase. Global demand for pouch packaging made of plastics in the segment food is likely to grow by 4.2% per year until 2025.

Stand-Up Pouches Growing Most Dynamically

Plastics and paper are the most popular materials for packaging bags. A particularly dynamically growing segment within the global packaging industry are stand-up pouches made of plastics that can, for example, be used for dried fruits, ready-made meals for the microwave or for beverages and sauces. In the non-food segment, stand-up pouches are also increasingly used, for example for detergents and cleaners or cosmetics and personal care products. They are also increasingly often used to package wet food for animals. Worldwide, about 230 billion stand-up pouches were sold in 2017. The European market reached a volume of over 45 billion units – thus, sales more than sextupled in the past 15 years. In the USA, Canada, and Mexico, demand rose to more than 30 billion units. The region Asia-Pacific reached a share of almost 55% of the global market. Demand is expected to continue to increase by 7% respectively in the upcoming years. Especially resealable stand-up pouches will increase rapidly: Ceresana expects growth rates of over 10% per year.