Market Overview
| Study Period | 2019 - 2030 |
|---|---|
| Market Size (2025) | USD 417.31 Billion |
| Market Size (2030) | USD 524.53 Billion |
| Growth Rate (2025 - 2030) | 4.68% CAGR |
| Fastest Growing Market | Asia Pacific |
| Largest Market | Asia Pacific |
| Market Concentration | Medium |
Major Players*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order Image © Mordor Intelligence. Reuse requires attribution under CC BY 4.0. |
|
Paper And Paperboard Packaging Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence
The paper and paperboard packaging market size stood at USD 417.31 billion in 2025 and is forecast to reach USD 524.53 billion by 2030, translating into a 4.68% CAGR over the period. Demand builds on three structural tailwinds: tougher recycling mandates in the European Union, e-commerce’s need for protective shipping formats, and rapid capacity additions in the Asia Pacific. Corrugated cases remain the anchor format because of strength-to-weight advantages and compatibility with automated packing lines, while liquid cartons gain traction in beverages and dairy. Regulatory deadlines that push recycling rates to 70% by 2030 in Europe and the United States’ roadmap to phase out problematic plastics by 2040 reinforce substitution momentum. Consolidation typified by the Smurfit Kappa-WestRock merger brings scale that helps players manage volatile old-corrugated-container (OCC) and virgin-pulp input prices. At the same time, fiber-blend innovation enables lighter boards that cut freight emissions and support brand sustainability goals.
Key Report Takeaways
- By product type, the paper and paperboard packaging market size for liquid cartons is projected to grow at a 5.62% CAGR between 2025-2030.
- By end-user vertical, food and beverage captured 41.51% of the paper and paperboard packaging market share in 2024.
- By packaging format, the paper and paperboard packaging market size for shelf-ready display packs is projected to grow at a 5.81% CAGR between 2025-2030.
- By material grade, recycled fiber captured 52.30% of the paper and paperboard packaging market share in 2024.
- By geography, the paper and paperboard packaging market size for Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at a 5.01% CAGR between 2025-2030.
Global Paper And Paperboard Packaging Market Trends and Insights
Drivers Impact Analysis
| Driver | (~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce–led SKU explosion | +1.2% | Global; strongest in North America and APAC | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Plastic-use bans and taxes | +0.8% | EU, North America, Australia, select Asia | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
| Quick-service food expansion in tier-2 cities | +0.6% | APAC core; spill-over to Latin America | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Rise of industrial composting standards | +0.4% | North America and EU; early APAC adoption | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
| Direct-to-consumer pharma fulfilment | +0.3% | Global; led by North America and EU | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Sustainability-driven packaging shift | +1.0% | Global | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
| Source: Mordor Intelligence | |||
E-commerce–led SKU explosion
Online marketplaces list thousands of product variants that must reach consumers undamaged, pushing converters toward shorter print runs and made-to-fit corrugated designs. Packaging Corporation of America posted a 9.2% jump in corrugated shipments in 2024 as merchants upgraded secondary packs to minimize void fill and cut dimensional-weight surcharges.[1]Packaging Corp. of America, “2024 Form 10-K,” last10k.com Shelf-ready formats that reveal brand graphics without extra unpacking are expanding at 5.81% CAGR, and digital printing speeds let converters batch small orders economically. International Paper’s USD 18.6 billion net sales in 2024 underline the volume upside when mills can pivot capacity between linerboard and specialty flute grades. Recycling mandates favor paper solutions over plastic mailers, ensuring the paper packaging market continues capturing parcel growth
Plastic-use bans and taxes
Governments target single-use plastics with outright bans or levies that take immediate effect. New South Wales began restricting plastic-lined coffee cups and cutlery in January 2025. In Europe, product-safety labeling rules also steer brands toward mono-material boards that carry clear recycling logos. Billerud’s Performance Brown Barrier sack paper now replaces polyethylene coatings in industrial bags, securing premium pricing for verified bio-based content. With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mapping a plastic-waste exit by 2040, brand owners lock in multi-year supply contracts that underpin additional kraft-liner capacity.
Quick-service food expansion in tier-2 cities
New quick-service outlets in second-tier Chinese and Latin American cities demand cost-efficient, grease-resistant wraps that meet local food-contact norms. China’s paper output hit 129.65 million tons in 2023, a 4.35% rise that mirrors takeaway volumes. Nine Dragons allocates 91.9% of revenue to packaging grades and runs 23.67 million-ton installed capacity, positioning it to service dispersed restaurant networks. Recyclable clamshells gain favor where municipal waste systems are immature, giving the paper packaging market an edge over expanded polystyrene trays.
Rise of industrial composting standards
Municipal composting programs now list acceptable packaging inputs, driving investment in water-based barrier coatings that break down under controlled aerobic conditions. The U.S. EPA is testing depackaging equipment able to remove plastic contaminants from organics streams. Brands gain marketing lift by printing ASTM D6400 or EN 13432 logos on paperboard coffee pods and produce trays. Suppliers that certify compostability capture higher margins in foodservice channels sensitive to landfill taxes. Over the long term, the paper packaging industry positions mono-material formats as the dominant choice for public-sector purchasing contracts that stipulate compostable waste diversion.
Restraints Impact Analysis
| Restraint | (~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volatile OCC and virgin pulp prices | -1.1% | Global; acute where recycling rates are low | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
| Deforestation-driven NGO pressure | -0.4% | Global; regions with extensive forest harvests | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| In-house corrugation by mega-etailers | -0.6% | North America and EU; emerging in APAC | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Carbon-border adjustment costs | -0.3% | EU imports; spreading to other jurisdictions | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
| Source: Mordor Intelligence | |||
Volatile OCC and virgin pulp prices
Pulp and recovered-paper indices rose 7.2% in 2024, squeezing converters that lack hedging programs. Stora Enso cited wood-fiber inflation as a headwind despite EUR 9 billion (USD 9.7 billion) of sales. Small mills dependent on spot OCC struggle to pass surcharges through quarterly contracts, narrowing margins against plastic substitutes with steadier resin costs.
Deforestation-driven NGO pressure
Civil-society campaigns link industrial forestry to biodiversity loss, prompting brand audits that demand Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. Mills operating in sensitive ecosystems face stricter lending terms and reputational risk that can slow capacity expansion.
Segment Analysis
By Product Type: Corrugated Boards Anchor Growth
Corrugated boards represented 43.2% of the paper packaging market in 2024, benefiting from rigorous e-commerce handling standards and recyclability requirements. The segment’s operating leverage shows in International Paper’s steady industrial-packaging margins amid sluggish macro demand. Liquid cartons, though just a fraction of volume, expand at a 5.62% CAGR as dairy and beverage brands swap multi-layer plastic pouches for renewable cartons certified under the PEFC chain-of-custody. Folding cartons maintain relevance in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, where high-definition offset graphics add shelf appeal. Innovation focuses on water-based barriers that resist oil and moisture yet allow fiber recovery at mill pulpers.
Lightweighting remains the dominant cost-containment tactic. Leading corrugators deploy high-starch dual-wall flutes that achieve the required edge-crush strength with less fiber. Billerud’s SEK 1.4 billion (USD 0.13 billion) grade-conversion program aims to produce food-grade cartonboard with 10% lower basis weight.[2]Billerud AB, “Year-End Report 2024,” billerud.com EU recycling mandates push suppliers toward mono-material designs, ensuring long-term dominance for corrugated and carton grades within the paper packaging market.
Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase
By End-User Vertical: Food and Beverage Retains Lead
Food and beverage accounted for 41.51% of 2024 revenue, underscoring strict hygiene norms and consumers’ wish for recyclable takeaway formats. Graphic Packaging’s latest 10-K cites above-market growth in paperboard trays for frozen meals. Personal-care brands lift the segment CAGR to 6.47% by substituting laminates with embossed kraft sleeves that convey natural positioning. Pharmaceutical packs benefit from tamper-evident tear strips and barcoded inserts that seamlessly integrate with serialization regulations.
Brand owners also prioritize renewable energy in supplier selection, linking scope-3 emissions to purchasing decisions. Mondi reports 87% of sales now meet reusable or recyclable criteria. This preference underpins the paper packaging market size outlook, leaving little room for plastics in high-visibility consumer applications.
By Packaging Format: Transit Packs Dominate
Secondary transit packs captured 44.12% of 2024 turnover, a testament to the dominance of parcel shipping. Automated case-erector lines optimize these packs for 30% board savings compared with earlier stock-box models, driving the paper packaging market toward higher value-added designs. Shelf-ready cases, advancing at 5.81% CAGR, bridge the gap between distribution and aisle display, cutting retail labor costs and shrinkage.
Protective inserts gain from electronics and home-appliance shipments, where molded pulp provides shock protection without polyurethane foam. Sonoco’s EUR 3.6 billion (USD 3.89 billion) Eviosys acquisition adds metal lids and easy-open ends that pair with fiber bodies, expanding hybrid format offerings. Material-efficiency regulations prompt format engineers to integrate handles and resealable tops directly into corrugated structures, eliminating ancillary plastic components.
Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase
By Material Grade: Recycled Fiber Sets the Baseline
Recycled grades claimed a 52.3% share in 2024, proving mills’ success at closing fiber loops. Lee & Man Paper recovers 93% of its furnish from wastepaper, feeding nine million tons of packaging output while hitting corporate circularity targets. Hybrid mixes combining virgin long fibers with recovered short fibers grow at a 6.12% CAGR by meeting demanding burst-strength specs in transit packaging. Virgin Kraft retains relevance for grease-proof and high-wet-strength applications but faces mounting NGO scrutiny over forest impacts.
Investment flows reflect the shift. Klabin’s BRL 12.9 billion (USD 2.39 billion) Puma II complex integrates plantation forests, chemical recovery, and board machines to deliver low-carbon virgin substrate alongside recycled options. As de-inking technology improves, recycled fiber displaces virgin fiber in more end-uses, reinforcing the paper packaging industry’s circular-economy narrative.
Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase
Geography Analysis
Asia Pacific held the largest 47.26% slice of the paper packaging market in 2024, powered by China’s record 129.65 million-ton paper production run and a 5.01% regional CAGR through 2030. Cost-effective labor, integrated pulp supply, and explosive e-commerce volumes sustain investment pipelines; Nine Dragons alone is adding two million tons of bleached boxboard capacity to serve quick-service restaurant chains.[3]The Pulp and Paper Times, “Nine Dragons Capacity Expansion,” thepulpandpapertimes.com Japan and South Korea complement the region with recycling systems that push collection rates above 80%, enabling high-recycled-content linerboards for export markets.
North America combines abundant forest resources with advanced converting lines that favor high-graphic corrugated and molded-pulp cushioning. Packaging Corporation of America booked USD 8.4 billion in sales in 2024, testimony to stable domestic demand. Europe follows a stricter regulatory route: the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation raises mandatory recycling to 70% by 2030, spurring lightweight board innovation. Stora Enso’s new Finnish board line exemplifies capital re-allocation toward premium coated grades that can satisfy circular-economy scorecards.
Latin America and the Middle East/Africa represent emerging corridors where urbanization raises packaged-goods consumption. Klabin’s forest-integrated model generates competitive delivered costs into Mercosur neighbors, and Brazil explores bilateral green-fuel trade that could lower the carbon intensity of export linerboard. Infrastructure gaps and currency volatility temper immediate growth, yet brand owners eye these regions for long-run volume upside, adding geographic spread to the paper packaging market.
Competitive Landscape
The top tier is consolidating: Smurfit WestRock emerged in July 2024 with USD 34 billion in revenue and USD 400 million in synergy targets, extending its reach to 500 plants across 40 countries. International Paper’s agreed USD 7.2 billion share swap for DS Smith deepens its European corrugated footprint and promises USD 514 million cash synergies within four years. Acquisitive moves counteract retailer vertical integration and secure recycled-fiber access at scale.
Sustainability positioning has become a prime differentiator. Sonoco generates 72% of its electricity from renewables and recycles 100% of the fiber used in its converted products. Mondi achieves 87% revenue from materials classed as recyclable or compostable, courting consumer-brand procurement teams bound by science-based targets. Technology investments focus on digital presses, machine-learning-driven board testing, and closed-loop water systems.
White-space innovation centers on bio-based barrier coatings, nano-cellulose reinforcement, and intelligent packs embedding QR codes for refill programs. Start-ups specializing in lignin-based resins partner with legacy mills to co-develop home-compostable coffee-capsule lids. M&A appetite remains high as regional champions look to bolt on niché capabilities and broaden customer portfolios, ensuring the paper packaging market retains dynamic competitive tension.
Paper And Paperboard Packaging Industry Leaders
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International Paper Company
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Smurfit Westrock plc
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Mondi plc
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Packaging Corporation of America
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Stora Enso Oyj
- *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
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Recent Industry Developments
- April 2025: Mayr-Melnhof Karton posted a 26.2% EBITDA rise to EUR 119.3 million (USD 129.1 million) in Q1 2025.
- March 2025: Sonoco closed the EUR 3.6 billion (USD 3.8 billion) purchase of Eviosys, extending metal-pack expertise into its fiber portfolio.
- March 2025: Billerud unveiled a SEK 1.4 billion (USD 0.13 billion) United States cartonboard conversion program.
- February 2025: PCA issued USD 500 million senior notes to fund Greif containerboard assets.
Global Paper And Paperboard Packaging Market Report Scope
Paper and paperboard are frequently used to package products for several end-user industries. There are numerous grades of paperboard packaging. Paperboard is the most common material used to make containers, like folding cartons. Paperboard requires pulping, optional bleaching, refining, sheet forming, drying, calendaring, and winding to manufacture paper. Paper packaging materials can be easily reused and recycled compared to other materials, such as metals and plastics. This is why paper packaging is considered eco-friendly and economical packaging.
The paper and paperboard packaging market is segmented into North America ((by product type (folding cartons, corrugated boxes, other Product types), by end-user vertical (food, beverage, healthcare, personal care, electrical, other end-user verticals), and by Country (United States, Canada)), Europe ((by product type (folding cartons, corrugated boxes,other product types), by end-user vertical (food, beverage, healthcare, personal care, electrical,other end-user verticals), and by Country (United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Rest of Europe)), Asia-Pacific (by product type (folding cartons, corrugated boxes,other product types), by end-user vertical (food, beverage, healthcare, personal care, electrical, other end-user verticals), and by Country (China, India, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand, Rest of Asia-Pacific)), Middle East and Africa (by product type (folding cartons, corrugated boxes,other product types), by end-user vertical (food, beverage, healthcare, personal care, electrical, other end-user verticals), and by Country (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Rest of Middle East and Africa)), and Latin America (by product type (folding cartons, corrugated boxes,other product types), by end-user vertical (food, beverage, healthcare, personal care, electrical, other end-user verticals), and by country (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Columbia, Rest of Latin America)). The market sizes and forecasts are provided in terms of value (USD) for all the above segments.
| By Product Type | Folding Cartons | ||
| Corrugated Packaging | |||
| Liquid Cartons | |||
| Other Product Types | |||
| By End-User Vertical | Food and Beverage | ||
| Healthcare and Pharma | |||
| Personal Care and Cosmetics | |||
| Electrical and Electronics | |||
| Industrial and Automotive | |||
| By Packaging Format | Primary Retail Packs | ||
| Secondary Transit Packs | |||
| Shelf-ready / Display Packs | |||
| Protective Inserts and Cushioning | |||
| By Material Grade | Virgin Fiber | ||
| Recycled Fiber | |||
| Hybrid/Mixed Fiber | |||
| By Geography | North America | United States | |
| Canada | |||
| Mexico | |||
| South America | Brazil | ||
| Argentina | |||
| Chile | |||
| Rest of South America | |||
| Europe | United Kingdom | ||
| Germany | |||
| France | |||
| Italy | |||
| Spain | |||
| Russia | |||
| Rest of Europe | |||
| Asia Pacific | China | ||
| India | |||
| Japan | |||
| South Korea | |||
| Australia | |||
| Malaysia | |||
| Rest of Asia Pacific | |||
| Middle East and Africa | Middle East | Saudi Arabia | |
| United Arab Emirates | |||
| Turkey | |||
| Rest of Middle East | |||
| Africa | South Africa | ||
| Nigeria | |||
| Rest of Africa | |||
By Product Type
| Folding Cartons |
| Corrugated Packaging |
| Liquid Cartons |
| Other Product Types |
By End-User Vertical
| Food and Beverage |
| Healthcare and Pharma |
| Personal Care and Cosmetics |
| Electrical and Electronics |
| Industrial and Automotive |
By Packaging Format
| Primary Retail Packs |
| Secondary Transit Packs |
| Shelf-ready / Display Packs |
| Protective Inserts and Cushioning |
By Material Grade
| Virgin Fiber |
| Recycled Fiber |
| Hybrid/Mixed Fiber |
By Geography
| North America | United States | |
| Canada | ||
| Mexico | ||
| South America | Brazil | |
| Argentina | ||
| Chile | ||
| Rest of South America | ||
| Europe | United Kingdom | |
| Germany | ||
| France | ||
| Italy | ||
| Spain | ||
| Russia | ||
| Rest of Europe | ||
| Asia Pacific | China | |
| India | ||
| Japan | ||
| South Korea | ||
| Australia | ||
| Malaysia | ||
| Rest of Asia Pacific | ||
| Middle East and Africa | Middle East | Saudi Arabia |
| United Arab Emirates | ||
| Turkey | ||
| Rest of Middle East | ||
| Africa | South Africa | |
| Nigeria | ||
| Rest of Africa | ||
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Key Questions Answered in the Report
How large is the paper packaging market in 2025?
The paper packaging market size reached USD 417.31 billion in 2025 and is forecast to grow at a 4.68% CAGR to USD 524.53 billion by 2030.
Which segment holds the highest paper packaging market share?
Corrugated boards led with 43.2% paper packaging market share in 2024 because of their strength and recyclability.
What is driving demand for sustainable paper packs in food and beverage?
Consumer preference and regulations banning single-use plastics have pushed food brands to adopt recyclable board trays and cartons.
Which region is growing fastest?
Asia Pacific is projected to post a 5.01% CAGR through 2030 on the back of e-commerce expansion and new mill capacity.
How are companies responding to pulp price volatility?
Leading mills pursue vertical integration, hedge fiber costs, and lighten board weights to preserve margins amid raw-material swings.
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