Marketing, sales and consumer behaviour – June 2026
Market for plastic containers and for pulp and paper packaging
According to a recent report by Fortune Business Insights, the global market value for plastic containers is expected to rise from $241.94 billion in 2025 to $420.97 billion in 2035. ALPLA, Silgan, Huhtamaki and Amcor are among the top ten players. You can find more information in the report summary.
According to McKinsey, the pulp and paper packaging industry is undergoing a structural reset. Overcapacity, volatile costs, and weak demand are compressing margins. Successful companies are harnessing AI to pursue cross-functional interventions that target the total cost baseline of a mill.
Market for inkjet printers and for packaging machinery
According to Smithers, the global market for graphic and packaging inkjet printers is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 9.4% from $101.1 billion in 2026 to $134.6 billion in 2030. In a recent article, Smithers looks at the five key trends shaping the future of inkjet printing.
PMMI has published reports on the packaging machinery market in Southeast Asia and in Mexico. You can download an executive summary of the report on Southeast Asia and the report on Mexico after filling in your details.
User friendliness of packaging
A recent survey from Uprinting reveals that 78.8% of American consumers have needed a tool to open packaging at least a few times a month. 48.1% have stopped buying a product specifically because of its packaging, not the product itself. Among Millennials, that figure climbs to 55.7%.
University of Maryland researchers have developed an AI-powered mobile app designed to do what drug facts labels do not: translate complex medication safety information into clear, personalised guidance.
The German Packaging Institute (dvi) has published the results (in German) of a survey on what Germans think (and know) about packaging. The top five packaging purposes for the respondents are ensuring hygiene, ease of opening, use and resealing, protecting the product from damage and extending shelf life.
Consumers and food packaging
There are several numbers on food packaging, from ingredient quantities to nutritional information. Researchers at La Trobe University have found that they are often treated as meaningful by consumers, even when they have no reference point for what the number 'should’ be. The numbers can act as mental shortcuts, leading consumers to assume a product is healthier and better quality than it may actually be.
In a study (2.61 MB) published in Business Strategy and the Environment, University of Parma researchers give an overview of consumer perceptions of edible packaging.
University of Twente student designs sustainable packaging
On 28 May 2026, Thom van Nieuwenhuizen also held a presentation with the title ‘Selection and implementation of the most environmentally sustainable, yet economically viable, packaging solution for Brinkers Food’ as part of his master assignment (12.7 MB). Chairman of the assessment committee was prof. Roland ten Klooster who holds the NVC Chair Packaging Design and Management.
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