U.S. Fresh Produce Packaging Market Report 2024-2033 - Through 2028, the Average Produce Packaging Price is Expected to Increase 1.2% Per Year - ResearchAndMarkets.com

The "U.S. Fresh Produce Packaging Market 2024-2033" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This industry study analyzes the $6.1 billion US market for fresh produce packaging. It presents historical demand data (2013, 2018, and 2023) and forecasts (2028 and 2033) as well as annual data for years 2020-2027.

Unit demand and value demand data is shown for fresh produce packaging by material (plastic, paper & paperboard, molded fiber, and other materials), product type (clamshells, two-piece containers, tubs & cups, pails, boxes & cartons, trays, platters, baskets & punnets, wood crates, RPCs, bags, pouches, wrap, lidding) and market (fruits, vegetables, and salad & greens). The study also evaluates company market share and competitive analysis on leading industry competitors in the fresh produce packaging market including International Paper, WestRock, Packaging Corporation of America, Georgia-Pacific, and Sonoco Products.

Demand for fresh produce packaging is forecast to increase 2.4% per year to $7.3 billion in 2028 or 59 billion units. Market value gains will be supported by modest growth in unit sales as well as by:

• rising demand for value-added produce packaging, such as resealable trays and stand-up pouches
• a continued transition from pillow pouches to higher value plastic trays with lidding and plastic containers for salads and leafy greens
• increasing sales of fresh-cut produce - such as prechopped celery or ready-to-eat mixed berries - which are typically sold in tubs, cups, or other higher value containers

Plastic Trays & Containers to Outpace Other Major Packaging Types

Plastic trays with lidding, tubs, cups, and two-piece containers are expected to outperform bags and pillow pouches in retail markets due to their strong performance across numerous key applications, including salads, berries, and fresh-cut produce. Despite rising concerns over the sustainability of plastic packaging, paper and molded fiber alternatives have struggled to capture significant market share due to plastic's strong protective abilities, clarity, and capacity to extend shelf-life

Apples & Salad to Drive Overall Produce Packaging Demand

Apples and salad will outperform other types of produce throughout the forecast period and combined will account for a majority of absolute gains in unit and value terms through 2028:

• Unit gains for apple packaging will be aided by the increase in packaged apples as opposed to unpackaged options, while market value will be boosted by the growth of value-added items (such as resealable stand-up pouches and large clamshells) over traditional bags.
• Salad's market position will be supported by the growing consumer preference for leafy greens and salad mixes over head lettuce. Additionally, a transition to higher-value packaging - such as trays with resealable lidding and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) - will boost market value.

Packaging Product Trends

Demand by Packaging Category: Rigid vs Flexible

Demand for fresh produce packaging is projected to increase 2.4% per year to $7.3 billion in 2028. In unit terms, demand will rise 1.3% annually to 59 billion units. Despite relatively slow growth in domestic produce output, advances will result from increases in the amount of produce sold in retail packaging. In addition, value gains will benefit from greater use of higher-value packaging types for fresh-cut produce that offer consumer convenience, ease-of-use features (for both store personnel and customers), and improved performance characteristics to keep the contents fresh for longer.

Rigid products will increase their share of the fresh produce packaging market in both value and unit terms:

• Corrugated packaging will remain popular despite RPCs gaining share in bulk applications.
• Plastic containers will benefit from consumer preferences for RTE products and other fresh-cut offerings in clamshells, tubs, and other container types.

Sales of flexible packaging products - including bags, pouches, and film wrap and lidding - will continue to benefit from greater demand for packaged and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables and more intensive use of higher-value stand-up pouches. Nonetheless, bags and pouches face strong competition from rigid plastic containers and top-seal trays in areas such as salad mixes, greens, and pre-cut produce, mainly for their protective abilities.

Materials Competition

Demand for produce packaging is forecast to increase 2.4% per year to $7.3 billion in 2028, reaching 58.6 billion units.

Plastic will continue to account for the majority share of packaging sales as it is the most common option for rigid packaging such as clamshells and other plastic containers; trays and platters; baskets; and flexible packaging such as bags, pouches, wrap, and lidding.

Plastic has maintained its dominance due to performance advantages, like its light weight, moisture resistance, enhanced barrier properties, and puncture resistance. Source reduction efforts have also favored flexible plastic packaging formats (such as pouches).

The sustainability comparison between plastic and competitive materials like paper and molded fiber for produce packaging is complex:

• Manufacture of plastic packaging generally involves the production of fewer greenhouse gases, less water, and less solid waste compared to paper. Plastic's superior protective properties also help reduce food waste. However, bags, pouches, and other flexible plastic packaging formats are not recyclable in many locations (although an increasing number of plastic packages are made with postconsumer recycled content).
• Paper and molded fiber packaging are positioned as renewable and have good environmental perceptions among consumers. However, both materials face performance issues like moisture resistance and durability. Some folding cartons and paper or molded fiber trays are manufactured with plastic coatings that help with moisture issues but frequently limit their recycling.

Whether paper and molded fiber are generally more sustainable than plastic, many companies are capitalizing on the notion that these materials are more eco-friendly alternatives. To that end, multiple players are developing new paper and molder fiber packaging technologies that can stand up to plastic's performance properties.

Campaigns to improve public awareness of the energy and emissions savings related to plastic will help promote the use of plastic packaging. However, some produce suppliers - especially producers of organic or other specialty types - opt for paper or molded fiber packaging that consumers will perceive as eco-friendly.

Pricing & Inflation

Through 2028, the average produce packaging price is expected to increase 1.2% per year - hewing closer to historical norms after a high inflationary period - to 12.4 cents per unit. Predicted price increases will mainly be supported by:

• more intensive use of better quality materials and recycled content
• the inclusion of higher quality graphics
• a continued shift in the product mix to more expensive types of packaging, such as stand-up pouches and RPCs

Key Topics Covered:

• Overview
  • Study Scope
  • Historical Market Trends
  • Packaging Product Trends
    • Demand by Packaging Category: Rigid vs Flexible
    • Rigid Packaging for Produce
    • Flexible Packaging for Produce
  • Materials Competition
  • Produce Categories (Vegetables, Fruit, Salad, Lettuce & Greens)
  • Pricing & Inflation
• Factors Impacting Packaging Demand
  • Fresh Produce Distribution/Supply Chain
  • Fresh Produce Production Trends
    • Production by Category
    • Fresh Vegetable Production Trends
    • Fresh Fruit Production Trends
    • Salad, Lettuce, & Greens Production
  • Packaging Technology & Product Innovation
    • MAP/CAP (Modified Atmosphere/Controlled Atmosphere)
    • Vacuum Packaging
    • Ethylene Absorption
    • Smart Packaging
  • Produce Processing Trends
    • Fresh-Cut & Ready-to-Eat Produce
    • Microwavable/Steamable Products
  • Farm to Table (Field to Fork) Product Distribution & Packaging
  • Regulations
• Overview
  • Food Safety
  • Produce Quality Standards
  • Labeling & Traceability Requirements
• Sustainability Initiatives
  • Food Waste/Shelf Life
  • Recycling & Recycled Content
  • Biobased/Renewable Materials Use
• Consumer Insights
  • Produce Forms
  • Fresh Produce Packaging
  • Fresh Produce Packaging Priorities
  • Consumer Attitudes About Fresh Produce
  • Attitudes About Bulk v. Packaged Fresh Produce
  • Consumer Attitudes About Sell-By Dates & Produce
• Plastic Packaging for Produce
  • Materials Trends (Rigid, Flexible, Foam)
  • Produce Categories (Vegetables, Fruit, Salad, Lettuce, & Greens)
  • Key Suppliers
• Paper & Paperboard Packaging for Fresh Produce
  • Materials Trends (Paper, Paperboard)
  • Produce Categories (Vegetables, Fruit, Salad, Lettuce, & Greens)
  • Key Suppliers
• Molded Fiber (Molded Pulp) Packaging for Fresh Produce
  • Produce Categories (Vegetables, Fruit, Salad, Lettuce, & Greens)
  • Key Suppliers
• Boxes & Cartons in Produce Packaging
  • Demand by Box Type
    • Demand Outlook
    • Corrugated Boxes
    • Folding Cartons
  • Demand by Produce Category
  • Market Share & Key Suppliers
• Produce Packaging Containers
  • Packaging Product Trends
    • Demand by Container Type
    • Clamshells
    • Tubs & Cups
    • Foam Boxes
    • Other Containers (Two-Piece Containers, Pails & Buckets)
  • Materials Competition
  • Demand by Produce Category
  • Market Share & Key Suppliers
• Bags & Liners in Produce Packaging
  • Demand by Material
    • Plastic Bags & Liners
    • Mesh Bags
    • Paper Bags
    • Other Materials Bags
  • Demand by Produce Category
  • Market Share & Key Suppliers
• Pouches in Produce Packaging
  • Packaging Product Trends
    • Demand by Pouch Type
    • Pillow & Side Seal Pouches
    • Stand-Up Pouches
  • Demand by Produce Category
  • Market Share & Key Suppliers
• Trays & Platters in Produce Packaging
  • Materials Competition
    • Demand by Material
    • Rigid Plastic
    • Foam
    • Molded Fiber
    • Paperboard & Other Materials
  • Demand by Produce Category
  • Market Share & Key Suppliers
• Wrap & Lidding in Produce Packaging
  • Packaging Product Trends
    • Demand by Type
    • Wrap
    • Lidding
  • Demand by Produce Category
  • Key Suppliers
• Baskets & Punnets
  • Competitive Products
  • Materials Competition
    • Rigid Plastic
    • Molded Fiber
    • Paperboard
  • Demand by Produce Category
  • Key Suppliers
• Fresh Vegetable Packaging
  • Fresh-Cut/Ready-to-Eat/Ready to Cook Vegetable Packaging
  • Demand by Vegetable Type
    • Root Vegetables (Potatoes, Onions, Carrots, Other Root Crops)
    • Tomatoes
    • Mushrooms
    • Peppers
    • Other Vegetables
• Fresh Fruit Packaging
  • Fresh-Cut & Ready-to-Eat Fresh Fruit
  • Demand by Fruit Category
    • Berries & Grapes (Small Fruit)
    • Apples
    • Citrus Fruit
    • Other Fresh Fruit
• Salad, Lettuce, & Greens Packaging
  • Scope & Product Description
  • Demand by Packaging Type
  • Fresh-Cut/Ready-to-Eat Salad, Lettuce, & Greens
  • Demand by Type
  • Demand Outlook
    • Salad & Fresh-Cut Leafy Greens
    • Whole Lettuce
    • Cabbage & Other Whole Greens (Kale, Collards, Asian Greens)
• Current Trends & Future Opportunities
  • Growth in Fresh-Cut & Ready-to-Eat Produce
  • Growth of ALDI & Similar Low Price Grocery Chains
  • E-Commerce Sales of Fresh Produce
  • Introduction of New Produce Varieties
  • Increasing Popularity of Locally Grown Produce
  • The Walmart Effect
  • Organic Produce Sales Continue to Increase
  • Steamable Fresh Pouches: Will They Match Success of Frozen?
• Packagers & End Users
  • Produce Packager Trends
    • Demand by Packager
    • Growers/Shippers
    • Repackers & Distributors
    • Retail Stores
  • End Users (Retail Sale, Foodservice, Processed Food Manufacturers)
• Key Suppliers & Markets Share
  • Industry Composition
  • Market Share
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Marketing & Distribution
  • Research & Development
  • Competitive Strategies
  • List of Industry Participants

Companies Featured

• International Paper
• WestRock
• Packaging Corporation of America
• Georgia-Pacific
• Sonoco Products

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