Europe Modified Atmosphere Packaging Market Size

Europe Modified Atmosphere Packaging Market Analysis

The Europe modified atmosphere packaging market is expected to grow at a CAGR of about 5.3% during the forecast period of 2021-2026. Modified atmospheric conditions are presently common trends in the packaging, and storage of all kinds of food products, ranging from fresh to frozen products. These packaging solutions have high carbon dioxide and reduced oxygen levels, which is beneficial for killing invasive insects or microorganisms that might grow on and spoil the stored food. High nitrogen concentration is used as a humid controller for keeping dried foods as the gas can help preserve food quality while results in the extended shelf life of food items.

• According to Interreg Europe's recent press release, a significant amount of food waste is generated from some major European countries, which is a matter of concern for the region. For example, in Spain, the food waste generation clocked to annually 186,06kg/capita. Other countries like France, Romania, Slovakia also has some significant figures in terms of food waste generation. As a result, there is already stress on food availability and thus the requirement to diminish food waste, accentuating the need to focus on modified atmosphere packaging solutions.
• The better shelf life of food products gives a significantly large sales opportunity for the retailer to trade the product. A longer shelf life helps them to decrease the wastage and increase profits up-to an extent. Moreover, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is a technology that allows transporting the products to distant locations without adding extra chemicals.
• Owing to the COVID-19 outbreak, the European Organization for Packaging and the Environment (EUROPEN) called on the European Commission in March 2020 to recognize packaging as an essential component in maintaining the uninterrupted flow of product groups which has identified as critical like perishable goods, especially foodstuffs. In this context, in March 2020, StePac, which supplies its solutions in the European countries, has developed an advanced modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), which effectively reduces the ripening and aging processes of the food products.
• Furthermore, for frozen and dried food products, real-time gas monitoring can help to prevent unnecessary wastage. For instance, in January 2020, AIMPLAS has launched the 'SafetySenseO2' project for the development of a printed sensor with the capability to detect the presence of oxygen in packaging. These sensors will help to detect in-line defects in modified atmosphere packaging in a non-destructive and economical way. These emerging sensor technologies for MAP packaging will create more opportunities for the market to grow in the coming years.