Marketing, sales and consumer behaviour – November 2025
Packaging market and trends
According to Smithers, the global packaging market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 3.5% to 2030. You can download an infographic after filling in your details. Smithers also reports that the value of the global ink market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 2.9% from $35.8 billion in 2025 to $40.2 billion in 2030. Five of the key trends driving this market growth are given in an infographic that you can download after filling in your details.
A recent PMMI report examines how shifting regulations, cost pressures, and material-performance considerations are shaping packaging decisions across 2024–2025. You can download an executive summary after filling in your details.
DHL has published sustainable packaging trends for 2026. In 2025, there was a surge in demand for packaging that’s lighter, smarter, and easier on the planet. Materials made from plants, seaweed, and mushrooms entered the mainstream. In 2026, DHL expects the pace to pick up.
McKinsey has published an article with insights to help packaging converters understand and navigate the fast-moving landscape of sustainable packaging.
Market for (recycled) plastics
According to a new report by ICIS and CPCIF, EU producers will require approximately 5.4 million tonnes/year of rPE, rPP, and rPET by 2030, to meet mandated minimum recycled content targets. This figure is expected to more than double to 11.5 million by 2040, driven by regulation across packaging, automotive, and textiles. China is expected to supply over 1 million tonnes/year of recycled plastics by 2040. You can download the report after filling in your details.
According to the 2025 annual report (1.83 MB) by FPA (333 kB), the US flexible packaging industry drives $151.4 billion in total economic output and supports nearly 400,000 jobs across all sectors of the economy.
Global market for plastic containers and for insulated packaging
According to a recent report by Fortune Business Insights, the global market value for plastic containers is expected to rise from $229.67 billion in 2025 to $420.97 billion in 2035. You can find more information in the report summary.
According to another report by Fortune Business Insights, the global market value for insulated packaging is expected to rise from $16.90 billion in 2025 to $25.95 billion in 2032. You can find more information in the report summary.
Consumer research
For his doctoral thesis (3.79 MB) at Aalto University, Markus Joutsela examined Packaging User Experience (PUX) through the lens of human-packaging interaction across the consumer journey, from purchase through use to disposal. The PUX framework provides a structure for understanding and evaluating the experiences evoked by packaging and for applying this knowledge to enhance consumer experience and strengthen brand value.
The Sustainable Food Monitor 2024 (in Dutch, 872 kB) by WUR shows that Dutch consumers spent 4% more money on food with a sustainability label in 2024 than the year before. This is in line with the overall growth in food spending.
WM has released its 2025 Recycling Report (12.79 MB), revealing a significant "say-do gap" between Americans' recycling intentions and their actual behaviours. The research found that Americans are committed to recycling, but sometimes life can get in the way of making the effort.
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