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"Green" packaging sales top $37 billion: Freedonia study |
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US demand for green packaging -- comprised of recycled content, biodegradable and reusable packaging
-- is projected to increase 3.4 percent annually to $43.9 billion in
2013, using 59 billion pounds of material. Growth will outpace overall
packaging but will remain modest due to the maturity of many products
and the fact that recycled content packaging has a large existing
presence in paperboard and metal packaging.
The fastest gains are anticipated for biodegradable plastic packaging
and plastic recycled content packaging. Biodegradable plastic packaging
is forecast to climb nearly 13 percent per year through 2013, driven by
increased price competitiveness with conventional resins, rapidly
expanding capacity and lower pricing volatility than petroleum-based
plastic packaging materials.
Additional stimulants include enhanced performance properties brought
about by more sophisticated polymerizaton and blending techniques;
efforts by brand owners to improve the environmental footprint of their
packaging; and legislative bans on polystyrene foam foodservice
disposables in some parts of the country. These and other trends are
presented in Green Packaging, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry research firm.
While recycled content packaging demand is expected to increase in line
with the overall green packaging average, robust growth for plastic
recycled content packaging will be aided by more concerted efforts to
boost collection volume, an increased focus on the development of
food-contact approved resin grades, and further sustainability
initiatives by plastic processors and brand owners. Gains will be
moderated by slow growth for paper recycled content packaging, which is
dominated by the large but mature corrugated and paperboard box segment.
Reusable packaging is forecast to expand more slowly, held back by
marginal growth for drums, which face competition from larger formats
such as intermediate bulk containers (IBCs). More favorable prospects
are anticipated for reusable plastic containers, IBCs and other
reusable packaging types. In general, value gains will decelerate
sharply from the 2003-2008 pace due to an expected moderation in raw
material prices, especially for plastic and steel. The relatively long
service life of most reusable packaging also limits the need for
replacements, a factor that restricts growth in demand for new units.
Source: Press release
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