Dairy Packaging Market Trends, Statistics, Growth, and Forecasts

Market Overview

Manufacturers of dairy packaging materials are also differentiating their products from their competitors by providing the best possible packaging material to meet the customers' needs. Some of the common packaging materials used are rigid plastics, papers and cardboards, flexible materials, metals, and glass. They constantly develop their product portfolios and invest in new technologies that aid in developing materials with specific properties for various applications and the packaging of a variety of dairy products.

The packaging of dairy products is a complex process that demands care and attention with different milk products having varied packaging requirements. Preservation of product freshness is the most important factor in packaging. Caps and closures also play a vital role while packaging dairy products. Out of the total caps and closures market, dairy packaging held the highest share of around 25% in 2021. The most common materials utilized in manufacturing caps and closures are plastics, metal, paper, rubber, and cork. These raw materials are converted utilizing varied moulds to manufacture a variety of closures to be utilized in the end-use applications. Plastic is the dominant raw material used because of its characteristics and various cost benefits. The adoption of plastic closures has been high and has a high penetration rate in the main end-use applications.

Within drinking milk, consumer preferences are shifting from shelf stable to fresh, and from cow’s milk to non-dairy milks. As disposable incomes rise, consumers are looking for more nutritious and minimally processed foods. Fresh milk caters to this demand, as it is heat treated to a lesser extent, retaining more of its beneficial nutrients. The wide availability and low cost of fresh packaged soy milk is providing competition to cow’s milk, especially for the lactose intolerant and those seeking to incorporate more plant-based foods into their diet. Consequently, this is predicted to drive up demand for gable top liquid cartons, the main packaging type for fresh cow’s and milk alternatives, over the forecast period.

Thin wall plastic containers continued to increase their share over the review period. Yoghurt players continue to favour thin wall plastic containers for their low cost and familiarity amongst consumers. Over the forecast period, yoghurt innovations are expected to centre on improving functionality and nutritional content, and widening the flavour assortment, instead of introducing new pack types. Smaller pack sizes are also expected to grow faster than larger ones in future. Consumers

Sales of metal food cans in other dairy are driven predominantly by demand for condensed milk and evaporated milk, which are consumed regularly by consumers in retail and foodservice alike. Over the forecast period, the habit of consuming condensed milk is predicted to diminish, as consumers gradually cut their sugar intake. This, along with a shrinking proportion of teenagers and an ageing population is predicted to be the main driver of the decline in condensed milk in metal food cans.