Aseptic Packaging Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026)

Market Overview

The aseptic packaging market was valued at USD 49.15 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 72.15 billion by 2026 and grow at a CAGR of 6.65% over the forecast period (2021-2026). Growth in the aseptic packaging market is driven by the packaging material's ability to respond to the need for high and uniform product quality, higher nutrient retention, and avoid the bisphenol A (BPA) controversy, which is commonly found in can liners. Aseptic packaging has been able to meet all these demands while increasing the shelf life of selected products by an estimated period of six to twelve months without refrigeration.

• Aseptic packaging is generally seen as a strong substitute for canning and the use of preservatives for increasing shelf life. Though there is a requirement for high initial investment for material and packaging machinery that is specific to this process, the ROI achieved due to the reduced cost of cold chain logistics and distribution as well as preservatives has allowed manufacturers to reap benefits within three to five years.
• According to the 2018 European Consumer Packaging Perceptions Survey of 7,000 shoppers, three-quarters of consumers said the environmental impact of a product's packaging affects their purchasing decisions, and 90 % want the packaging to be easily recyclable. Thus sustainability is playing a major role in new product developments in the market. For instance, In Tetra Pak's latest portfolio strategy, it has stated that it plans to launch fully renewable aseptic carton packaging and further develop bio-based products.
• Also, In June 2019, Lamipak launched its All Brown Board product 'LamiNatural.' The new product offers the lowest carbon footprint in Lamipak's product range. One of the product's key features is the absence of a layer of white clay coating, which exposes the unbleached paper underneath that gives the product its natural brown fiber appearance. Currently, the company is the largest exporter of aseptic packaging solutions from China.
• The pharmaceutical and healthcare sector is expected to witness strong growth over the forecast period, aided by opportunities with heat-sensitive advanced injectable and infusion therapies and trends toward self-administration of injectable drugs for chronic conditions. Prefillable syringes help eliminate dosing errors and are expected to witness the fastest gains among all aseptic packaging product types.
• The future of the market is expected to be driven by the emerging technologies in aseptic processing, such as advanced isolators, robotics, and packaging material with higher barrier properties. These emerging technologies are anticipated by the need to reduce contamination risks for sterile products and simplify packaging processes
• Due to the spread of COVID-19, the market is witnessing tremendous growth. Due to lockdown, customers shifted to online retail as well as the panic stocking, which led to an increase in demand for essential food items such as milk, baby food, and vegetables. Moreover, concerns regarding food hygiene due to Covid-19 is increasing the demand for aseptic packaging. In the coming years, the customers would prefer disposable packaging to prevent themselves from more diseases, which would compel the vendors to think on the lines of sustainable aseptic packaging.

Scope of the Report

The specialized manufacturing process in which food, pharmaceutical, or other contents are sterilized separately from packaging is called aseptic packaging. It involves inserting the contents into a container in a sterile environment. In this method, a high temperature is used to maintain the freshness of the contents, while also ensuring that microorganisms do not contaminate the content.

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Key Market Trends

Milk and Other Dairy Beverages in Beverage to Drive the Market Growth

• The dairy sector has witnessed a strong growth, mainly driven by the consumer preference for protein-heavy diets compared to carbohydrates. Milk is the most consumed dairy product in the world. The milk available in a bottle, packed with the current processing technology, has a shelf-life between 10 and 21 days when stored at 4-8°C. With the advent of processes like UP and UHT, the shelf life of packaged milk was extended up to a year without refrigeration. This has been a significant driver for aseptic packaging across the milk production sector.
• Also, Yogurts have witnessed increased usage, especially in Asian countries. For instance, according to a combined study by PMMI, Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association, Italian Manufacturers of Automatic Packing and Packaging Machinery, and the Processing Packaging Machinery Trade Association, the sales of plain yogurt in China are anticipated to witness a CAGR of 26% through 2020, followed by India, registering a CAGR of 16%. While PET bottles allow brands to differentiate themselves from competitors on store shelves, there is a significant focus on food safety due to contamination.
• This has resulted in the implementation of sterilizing techniques to increase the microbial security of their critical processes, eliminating airborne microorganisms from the immediate environment of the sensitive dairy product. For instance, aseptic carton packaging has helped enable better packaging and distribution, preserving the shelf life for extended periods.
• Another factor driving the market is the uneven milk production across regions. There is difficulty in shipping cold products and limited cold storage in developing markets, and aseptic packaging has been able to offer a convenience that has made them instantly popular in the packaging industry. Therefore, the aseptic packaging market for these products is expected to grow, as a large share of aseptic beverage packaging is consumed by dairy beverage packaging.
• Additionally, The market is witnessing exponential growth nowadays due to the spread of the novel coronavirus. This is because people are buying food items in bulk, which have a long shelf life, thus replying on aseptic packaging. Additionally, due to people staying at home, the consumption of ready-made alcohol cocktails and canned tea/coffee, is also on the rise.

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