The Market for Flexible Packaging in India (for Consumer Markets)

Posted By Team MCG On

Flexible packaging is a versatile packaging substrate that offers cost effective solutions to protect and extend shelf life of a wide range of food, non-food and beverage products. Flexible packaging comprises single/ composite layer of plastic film, paper and aluminium foil that maximises the protective properties.Flexible packaging, with its low cost & durability proposition, has been instrumental in opening up the rural markets in India to a wide range of consumer products from the organised sector. Numerous advantages offered by flex packs include lower weight and storage space, ease of transportation, convenience, less energy and most importantly, recyclability.

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Flexible packaging accounts for around 30% of the total consumer packaging market – by far the leading segment within the consumer packaging market.  The flexible packaging market is estimated at around INR 205 billion in 2015-16 and the market is growing at a rate of 12.5% annually.  In volume terms, the total volume of flexibles used for consumer packaging applications is estimated at 975,000 MT in 2015-16.

Within the flexible packaging, the market for pouches is expected to grow at a faster pace owing to increased trend in substitution toward flexible pouches across a range of food products.

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Flexible packaging converting industry in India is fragmented with a large number of small & medium enterprises and a few large players with conversion capacity above 5,000 TPA.   Large converters have modern facilities and offer from printed unsupported films to highly sophisticated multi-layer laminates and co-extruded films. A few large Indian players have global presence.  Amcor, Constantia and Huhtamaki are some of the multinational majors who have entered the Indian market either through joint ventures or through acquisition of domestic players. The acquisition of Packaging India Private Limited (PIPL) by Australia-based, Amcor Flexibles Limited in July 2015 is a noteworthy development in the flexible packaging sector. Earlier in Jan 2015, Finnish major- Huhtamaki Oyj completed acquisition of Positive Packaging, a flexible packaging company.