The folding cartons market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.06% to reach a market size of US$117.795 billion in 2026 from US$95.398 billion in 2019. The folding cartons are primarily manufactured from wood, paper, and others. These provide eco-friendly and cost-effective packaging solutions and have higher demand owing to their ability to be available in many sizes in both standardized and customized order types with a small footprint in comparison to the bulkier packaging options thus making it feasible for almost every end-user. The folding carton market growth is mainly being driven on account of increasing demand for frozen or chilled food, dry food, and cigarettes, especially in the emerging regions. Thus, the demand for the folding carton from the developed economies is anticipated to remain stable during the forecasted period. These rising demands and environmental awareness are motivating the manufactures to focus and invest in the recyclable folding carton and offer eco-friendly solutions. For instance, Elopak in 2018 introduced cartons made with a natural brown board that is carbon neutral. This was launched a year later after a successful fresh gable top carton introduced by Elopak which is made from the natural brown board. This is aiding the players of the market to tap a wide array of potential consumers. However, the surging price of the wooden pulps and increasing paper rates due to the outweighing global supply are restraining the growth of the folding carton market. The folding carton market players are finding difficulties in acquiring more profit margins. Key industries demanding the folding cartons are food and beverage, healthcare, tobacco. Market players of the folding carton include AR Packaging Group AB, Great Little Box Company Ltd, DS Smith, Amcor plc, WestRock Company, Rengo Co., Ltd, Mayr-Melnhof Karton AG, Great Little Box Company Ltd, and Stora Enso.
Market Drivers.
Various advantages of the foldable cartons such as rigidity, flexibility, and printability are driving the demand and are increasing its adoption among small and medium-sized consumer goods as well as food and beverage companies. The growing awareness regarding the environment is changing the preference of the consumers to more eco-friendly and non-plastic packaging products. Furthermore, the government is mandating a ban on single-use plastic packaging and is also participating in enhancing the awareness among the consumers regarding sustainability. For instance, the European Carton Makers Association (ECMA) has released an updated version of the ‘Good Manufacturing Practice’ (GMP) in March 2021, that is for the companies that manufacture folding cartons which are intended to come into contact with food.
These factors are leading to market players adopting more eco-friendly products. The anti-counterfeit measures in the product packaging industry are creating many growth opportunities for the folding carton market players. These factors are expected to boost the demand for folding cartons over the forecasted period.
Key industries pushing the demand for folding carton packaging are personal care, health care, food & beverage, and the electronics industry among others. The expansion of the food and beverage industry along with the packaged food industry is driving the demand for folding cartons. Also, the digital print of the carton is further augmenting the market of folding cartons due to the appealing graphics. The technological advancement in the folding carton such as smart folding cartons can be used to track the status of the delivery process of the product using QR code. These new features are projected to boost the market growth of the folding carton during the forecast period.
Segment Analysis.
The folding carton market by structure type is classified as full seal end, reverse tuck end, straight tuck end, tuck top auto-bottom, double glued sidewall, and others.
By wall construction, the folding carton market is segmented as a single-wall corrugated sheet, double-wall corrugated packaging, and triple-wall corrugated packaging.
The folding carton market by end-users is segmented into hardware and electrical, food and beverage, personal care, healthcare, household, and others. The food and beverage segment is anticipated to hold a larger share and display a prominent CAGR due to the rise in the demand for convenience and organized retail. Further food vendors want to offer products with long shelf life and appealing packaging.
While, the folding carton market is classified based on material types as a solid unbleached board, Whiteline chipboard, folding boxboard, and solid bleached board.
The market of the folding carton is segmented by order type as Standard and Customized. Customized is expected to hold a larger share by order type and have growth opportunities during the forecasted period.
Regional Analysis.
The folding cartons market based on the region has been segmented into North America, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia Pacific, and South America. The Asia Pacific holds the major market share and is expected to continue dominating over the forecasted period on account of increased demand for conveniently packaged food items and takeaway food items by the consumers. Established organized retailing in various regions is also projected to contribute towards the future growth of the folding carton market. In the Asia Pacific, China is one of the leading consumers of the folding cartons that are contributing towards the market growth of the folding carton in the region as the Chinese consumers are shifting their demand to the packaged goods on account of its convenience, lifestyle branding, and aesthetics. China is also one of the largest sources of folding cartons both in value and volume terms as the region has low manufacturing costs which are offsetting the cost of the shipping. This is motivating the manufacturers of the market to develop new technologies to attract more demand for folding cartons. The demand for folding boxes will continue to increase in the region during the forecasted period on account of active and intelligent packaging with anti-counterfeit technology. Furthermore, the rise of e-commerce in the region is leading to the increased demand for the packaged food and convenience food products which is leading to an increase in the demand for the folding carton market.
COVID-19 Impact.
The outbreak of Covid-19 has affected every industry due to the lockdown and work stoppage orders except for medical supplies and life support products industries. The folding carton market has also been greatly impacted by the pandemic but maintained relatively optimistic growth due to the disrupted supply chain and distribution channel.
| Report Metric | Details |
| Market size value in 2019 | US$95.398 billion |
| Market size value in 2026 | US$117.795 billion |
| Growth Rate | CAGR of 3.06% from 2019 to 2026 |
| Base year | 2019 |
| Forecast period | 2021–2026 |
| Forecast Unit (Value) | USD Billion |
| Segments covered | Structure Type, Wall Construction, End-User, Material Type, Order Type, And Geography |
| Regions covered | North America, South America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific |
| Companies covered | AR Packaging Group AB, Great Little Box Company Ltd., DS Smith, Amcor plc, WestRock Company., Rengo Co., Ltd., Mayr-Melnhof Karton AG, Great Little Box Company Ltd., Stora Enso |
| Customization scope | Free report customization with purchase |
Segmentation
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What will be the folding cartons market size by 2026?
A1. The folding carton market is estimated to reach a market size of US$117.795 billion by 2026.
Q2. What is the size of global folding cartons market?
A2. Folding Cartons Market was valued at US$95.398 billion in 2019.
Q3. What are the growth prospects for the folding cartons market?
A3. The global folding carton market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.06% during the forecast period.
Q4. Which region holds the maximum market share of the folding cartons market?
A4. The Asia Pacific holds the major share of the folding cartons market on account of increased demand for conveniently packaged food items and takeaway food items by the consumers.
Q5. What factors are anticipated to drive the folding carton market growth?
A5. The folding carton market growth is mainly driven by increasing demand for frozen or chilled food, dry food, and cigarettes, especially in emerging regions.
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