The Asia Pacific (APAC) print labels market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.58%, reaching a market size of US$29.679 billion in 2029 from US$20.599 billion in 2024.
Product labels are required for product identification and to prevent counterfeiting. Labels help create brand identity, image, and awareness. They also convey essential information to customers, such as instructions on how to use ingredients and government licenses. Advancements in technology are helping to create creative and high-quality labels. Print labels have major applications in the cosmetics, food, and healthcare sectors. The print label market is expanding due to the need for efficient and better-performing technologies to produce high-quality products.
Rising demand for digital printing technology
The print label market is divided into printing technologies such as inkjet printing, offset, letterpress, flexographic printing, screen printing, gravure printing, and digital printing. Inkjets can be adapted for various purposes and are comparably easy to use. They’re ideal for substances having low viscosity plus solubility, like organic semiconductors. Screen printing is popular in making sensors and radio frequency identification (RFID) antennas. It also has multiple advantages over alternative printing methods; these include durability, versatility, speed, and affordability. Gravure printing is applied to transform paper into a viable substrate for printing electronics. The large surface roughness and ink absorption of paper limit the printing of high-performance electronic devices onto paper. Gravure printing has overcome this by providing a local smoothing layer and printing organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs). This exhibits performance on par with the device on a plastic substrate. Offset printing refers to any printing technique that uses a printing plate to transfer an image to an intermediate carrier onto the printed substrate. In contrast, flexographic printing transfers ink from the plate directly to the printed substrate.
Rising use in healthcare and food and beverages industry
Labels are required in the healthcare industry to inform customers of important information about the product, like in medicine for instruction on dosage, ingredients, license, manufacturing date, and expiry date, among others. The healthcare industry requires labels on medical equipment, such as warnings, methods of use, etc. Labels are required in the food & beverages and personal care industries to provide information and branding and entice customers to buy the product for consumption.
High demand for wet glue labels for molding labels
Pressure-sensitive labels, in-mold labels, wet-glued labels, multi-part tracking labels, and other types are among the market's segmentations based on type. Pressure-sensitive labels use paper, film, and foil as their primary materials and can be used with a wide range of inks. Mild to moderate pressure is necessary for application to a product surface. When the containers are manufactured using blow molding, injection molding, or thermoforming, in-mold labeling is used, which includes the application of paper or plastic labels during the process. Since molding lowers production costs, it also delays the entire manufacturing process. Although molding reduces overall costs, it extends the manufacturing process. Wet-glue labels are used in food and beverages due to their lower cost, long print run, and high quality. Multi-part tracking labels are made to prevent theft and increase the chances of asset recovery. To eliminate errors and deter vandalism, the tags duplicate the information in multiple areas of the tag.
Lack of climate-resistant products
Two environmental components that cause labeling issues include moisture and heat. The ideal situation for doing so would be in a warm atmosphere devoid of such a condition as humidity. Nevertheless, sometimes things are so that one has no option but to resort to extremes of temperature or precipitation. After sticking to the surface, the print label must withstand the different temperatures it comes into contact with. Certain brands, such as those on goods that must be maintained in the cold chain and those on dangerous chemicals, are designed to withstand a wide range of temperatures. However, numerous environmental regulations regarding labeling will also hinder the print labels market growth.
China is expected to hold a significant market share in the forecast period.
China is the biggest country by area and number of people in the Asia-Pacific region. The Chinese labels used in printing for domestic and foreign markets will remain dominant due to the increasing demand for food products and pharmaceutical supplies from their local industry. Regarding overall output globally, China remains the leading producer of beverages, medicines, and foods. During this same time frame, things like an increase in the volume of sales from online groceries, better distribution systems, and higher earnings for some families with underdeveloped middle classes will stimulate growth in the country’s food manufacturing sector.
In November 2023, an immense tussle over barcode printing machines arose with the emergence of the desktop barcode printer known as TH DH series, which appealed more to several other customers than any other machine produced by any manufacturer. This piece of equipment was launched by TSC Auto ID, one among the known suppliers when it comes to thermal solutions. Its design also features some flexibility in usage yet it has significant capability that make it an ideal choice for many different purposes. It has quickened to meet various printing needs thus manufacturers had no option but arrive at a conclusion that they needed to create desktop printers which can print nearly all kinds of labels even if they do have different properties from one another. From hardware through software systems up-to what can eventually be done; this device was meant for achieving high-quality printing using any kind of hard-to-print medium while being quite portable and user-friendly in design.
In January 2023, Avery Dennison’s new manufacturing facility saw a total investment of around 250 Crore INR (30.8 million USD), while its total investments in India were 1,000 Crore INR (123.5 million USD). This means that its production capacity for pressure-sensitive labels has tripled.
In November 2022, Bostik introduced two new tape and label adhesives for the manufacturing sector in India to promote a circular economy. Bostik HM2060 is a unified solution for high-speed label converting in the logistics and FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) sectors. It is imperative to boost label production productivity as India's manufacturing sector expands to handle the rise in consumer and commercial goods volumes. Bostik HM2060 is the perfect solution for labels that must withstand high conversion speeds above 100 meters per minute, as it fulfils the dual roles of Hot Melt Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (HMPSA) and label. This eliminates any challenges arising from conversion speed limitations.
| Report Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Market Size in 2024 | USD 20.599 billion |
| Total Market Size in 2029 | USD 29.679 billion |
| Forecast Unit | Billion |
| Growth Rate | 7.58% |
| Study Period | 2019 to 2029 |
| Historical Data | 2019 to 2022 |
| Base Year | 2023 |
| Forecast Period | 2024 – 2029 |
| Segmentation | Type, Printing Technology, End-User Industry, Geography |
| Geographical Segmentation | Asia Pacific, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, Thailand, Others |
| Companies |
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