Primary Battery Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends and Forecast (2026 - 2031)

Global Primary Battery Market Trends and Insights

Surging Demand from Smart-Home & IoT Single-Use Sensors

LoRaWAN networks surpassed 125 million connected devices in 2024, growing 25% year over year, and most of these endpoints, such as door, leak, and occupancy sensors, are engineered for up to 10 years of operation on a single AA or coin-cell. Deployers avoid the USD 15–30 per node expense of adding recharging infrastructure, keeping the total cost of ownership low. Wi-Fi HaLow chipsets from multiple vendors promise a decade of runtime on two AA alkaline cells, which enables retrofits in commercial buildings without wiring for power. Although the GSM Association expects 1.1 billion ambient IoT devices by 2030, roughly 473 million units will still rely on primary batteries in locations that lack sufficient light for energy harvesting.^{[1]The Mobile Economy 2026,” GSM Association, gsma.com} Supercapacitors specified in ITU-T L.1310 offer hundreds of thousands of cycles but only fleeting backup time, confirming their complementary, not substitutive, role against long-duration primary chemistries.

Rapid Growth of Off-Grid Medical Devices in Emerging Markets

The World Health Organization reported in 2024 that facilities serving 1 billion people in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia still lack reliable electricity, spurring adoption of pulse oximeters, portable ultrasound units, and vaccine monitors powered by primary lithium cells that deliver a decade-long shelf life.^{[2]Global Atlas of Medical Devices 2024,” WHO, who.int} Solar-plus-storage microgrids financed by multilateral banks often reserve these cells for low-drain instrumentation where the cost of battery-management systems outweighs the price of periodic replacement. Global shipments of wearable medical devices reached 556.5 million units in mid-2025, 18% of which require silver-oxide or lithium coin cells to meet strict volumetric-energy-density needs. Zinc-air button cells remain dominant in hearing aids because they deliver 1.4 V and up to 650 mAh in tiny housings that rechargeable options cannot match without sacrificing comfort.

Expansion of Defense Portable Electronics Budgets

The U.S. defense budget topped USD 850 billion in fiscal 2024, channeling funds into radios, GPS receivers, and night-vision systems that specify BA-5590 or BA-5390 primary lithium packs for 72-hour missions. NATO’s 2%-of-GDP spending pledge is pushing procurement toward platforms that remain functional from −40 °C to +60 °C without active thermal management, a specification rechargeable lithium-ion often fails to meet. South Korea’s 2025 infantry-gear contract and Japan’s 16% defense-budget increase both mandate primary lithium cells with 15-year storage life. These requirements highlight the continuing relevance of non-rechargeable chemistries in logistics-constrained environments.

Shift Toward Mercury-Free Chemistries & Green Purchasing Mandates

EU Regulation 2023/1542 sets 63% collection by 2027 and 73% by 2030, elevating compliance costs and accelerating conversion to mercury- and cadmium-free formulations. Energizer cited these fees as shaving 2.1 percentage points off gross margin in fiscal 2025. Panasonic’s EVOLTA NEO range achieves 1.3 times the runtime of standard alkaline cells while meeting RoHS and REACH rules after retooling at its Nishikinohama factory. U.S. federal procurement rules now prioritize batteries with recognized ecolabels, steering demand toward incumbents with compliant supply chains.

Competition from Secondary Batteries & Super-Capacitors

Rechargeable lithium-ion captured 83% of global battery capacity in 2025, pushing pack prices below USD 100 per kWh and eroding primary share in peripherals, speakers, and grooming devices.^{[3]Global EV Outlook 2025,” International Energy Agency, iea.org}Despite energy-density limits, supercapacitors boasting 500,000-plus cycles are gaining ground in telecom backup, though they cannot supply multi-year, low-drain power. Nickel-metal-hydride AA cells continue to replace alkaline primaries in mid-drain consumer gear, while counterfeit alkaline imports further depress prices and compromise safety.

Extended Producer Responsibility Fees Inflating Costs

EU and U.S. EPR schemes add EUR 0.02–0.05 per cell to compliance costs, a burden Energizer flagged as material in its 2025 annual report. Counterfeit cells avoid these fees outright, amplifying cost disadvantages for legitimate brands. At the same time, electrolytic manganese dioxide fetched USD 2,062.92 per metric ton in April 2025, about 2.8 times the price of battery-grade manganese sulfate, underscoring persistent raw-material pressure.

Segment Analysis

By Type: Lithium Chemistries Gain on Cold-Chain Demand

Primary lithium variants are projected to post a 9.5% CAGR between 2026 and 2031, the quickest within the primary battery market, as industrial metering and defense communications migrate to cells that operate from −40 °C to +85 °C at 3.0–3.6 V per cell.^{[4]Technical Data Sheets—LSP Series,” Saft, saftbatteries.com} Conversely, alkaline held 63.5% revenue share in 2025 thanks to ubiquitous retail distribution. Zinc-air dominates hearing aids with 1.4-V output and up to 650 mAh capacity, while silver-oxide button cells sustain premium pricing in precision watches and glucose monitors. Recent U.S. import data show manganese-ore volumes escalating as manufacturers hedge against Chinese refining dominance.

Alkaline incumbents defend share through materials science: Panasonic’s EVOLTA NEO uses high-purity manganese dioxide with titanium additives to deliver 1.3 times longer runtime. Meanwhile, nickel-zinc variants remain niche due to limited shelf life. Zinc-carbon cells persist in price-sensitive segments but are losing ground as alkaline approaches price parity, reinforcing the gradual premiumization of the primary battery market.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Form Factor: Coin Cells Ride Wearables Wave

Coin and button cells are forecast to expand at a 9.9% CAGR through 2031, buoyed by wearable medical devices and miniature IoT modules that demand compact energy sources. Cylindrical AA and AAA formats retained a 52.9% share in 2025, supported by standardized dimensions and widespread retail placement. Prismatic cells cater to OEMs seeking custom footprints but face higher tooling hurdles. Genuine CR2032 cells provide 220–240 mAh at 3.0 V in 3-g packages, whereas counterfeits deliver less than half that capacity, prompting device shutdowns and warranty claims.

The LoRa Alliance’s 125 million-device milestone intensifies demand for CR2032 and CR123A cells designed for five-to-ten-year lifecycles. Hearing-aid OEMs continue to rely on zinc-air size 10, 13, 312, and 675 buttons, underscoring the irreplaceability of specialized chemistries for ultra-small devices within the primary battery market size benchmarks.

By Application: IoT Sensors Outpace Consumer Electronics

IoT sensors and smart-infrastructure deployments are projected to rise at a 10.1% CAGR, becoming the fastest-growing slice of the primary battery market. Consumer electronics still led with 48.4% revenue in 2025, but are gradually ceding ground to rechargeable packs as costs fall. Industrial OEM segments require Li-SOCl₂ cells to guarantee decade-long service in extreme temperatures, a niche where rechargeable alternatives falter without costly thermal controls.

Medical wearables depend on silver-oxide and lithium coin cells to maintain a steady voltage across body-temperature variations. Defense and aerospace specify BA-series lithium packs for extended autonomy, further sustaining high-margin niches. Wi-Fi HaLow sensor retrofits in commercial real estate highlight the economic advantage of primary cells when maintenance labor eclipses battery cost. 

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

Geography Analysis

Asia-Pacific commanded 46.1% of revenue in 2025, reflecting China’s vertically integrated cost leadership across manganese dioxide refining, zinc powder production, and cell assembly. India’s Production-Linked Incentive scheme earmarked 18 GWh of battery capacity, largely for lithium-ion EV packs, leaving primary cell output concentrated in smaller domestic plants. Japan’s Nishikinohama factory, ramped up in late 2023, produces 48 million alkaline cells monthly, providing a non-Chinese source for premium EVOLTA NEO products. Emerging ASEAN hubs, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, are attracting coin-cell assembly for hearing aids, leveraging low labor costs and supply-chain proximity.

The Middle East & Africa region is expected to post a 9.0% CAGR to 2031, driven by decentralized-energy programs. The World Bank estimates 640–650 million people in sub-Saharan Africa still lack grid power, prompting solar-plus-microgrid deployments that reserve primary batteries for low-drain monitoring. South Africa’s 360 MW battery tender in 2024, and its 1,200 MW pipeline, principally features rechargeable chemistries for long-duration discharge, leaving primary cells in peripheral telemetry roles. Counterfeit batteries remain pervasive, undermining safety and eroding legitimate brand share.

North America and Europe are consolidating around premium niches. Energizer received USD 112.4 million in Section 45X credits in fiscal 2025, underpinning domestic production. Its May 2025 purchase of Advanced Power Solutions NV added Polish capacity, albeit at a short-term margin cost. EU EPR mandates continue to lift compliance expenses, which established players can absorb more readily than new entrants. South American growth centers on Brazil and Argentina as e-commerce unlocks rural demand, though logistics obstacles in the Amazon and Patagonia impede deeper penetration.