November 2024
The global rigid chilled food packaging market is accelerating, with forecasts predicting hundreds of millions in revenue growth between 2023 and 2034, powering sustainable infrastructure globally.
The demand for convenience foods is driving the expansion of the rigid chilled food packaging market. Growing awareness of food safety and quality enhancing the use of rigid chilled food packaging. Additionally, the rising shift toward modern retail formats is expected to fuel market success in the forecast period.
Rigid chilled food packaging is referred to as the used for frozen food products that need refrigeration to maintain quality, safety, and shelf-life. Rigid chilled food packaging solutions offer safe, convenient, and visually appealing packaging for chilled food products. Several factors like durability, sustainability, barriers, variety, and cost-effectiveness are driving the market of rigid chilled food packaging.
Rigid packaging is sturdy and used to protect the quality of food products. Rigid packaging helps to prevent food products from contamination and protects the test. The availability of rigid packaging solutions in various sizes and shapes drives consumer attraction. Such packaging solutions can used as optional temperature-controlled logistics, which can help to reduce costs. The global packaging industry size is estimated to grow from USD 1.20 trillion in 2022 to reach an estimated USD 1.58 trillion by 2032, growing at a 3.16% CAGR between 2023 and 2032.
The demand for ready-to-eat meals and ready-to-cook food has increased significantly. Rigid containers protect foods from damage and contaminations during storage and enhance products' self-life. Busy lifestyles, high disposable income, and a growing population are driving demand for ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook food. Additionally, the demand for convenience and flexibility in food has increased among younger generations. Growing online grocery shopping is encouraging consumers to buy ready-to-eat food.
The rigid chilled food packaging market increased by enhanced demand for ready-to-eat meals due to their properties to reduce food wastage and provide food safety. Additionally, rising urbanization is seeking more disposable income and convenient foods for their fast lifestyles. Raising preferences for ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook meals encourages investment and innovations in sustainable and convenient chilled food packaging solutions.
The sale of ready-to-eat meals reached 98.6% online and 1.4% online in 2024, with scope from Blue Apron, which provides pre-portioned ingredients for home cooking.
Growing sustainability concerns among consumers and a focus on health are driving the demand for sustainable, affordable, and healthy food packaging solutions. Consumers are promoting the easy use, storage, and disposal of packaging solutions. Additionally, growing e-commerce and online shopping are the key trends enhancing consumer demand for safe and high-end quality groceries. Manufacturers are focusing on consumer behavior toward the packaging market to enhance and innovate cutting-edge rigid chilled packaging solutions.
Technology advancements like nanotechnology to enhance barrier properties of packaging solutions, active and intelligent packaging systems for enhanced food product shelf-life, 3D printings to attract consumers, recyclable packaging, bioplastics, compostable packaging materials, loT technology for tracking supply chains, are several cutting-edge technologies enhancing market expansion. Additionally, companies are continuously focused on the innovation of packaging technologies to enhance food safety, quality, and productivity. Driven sustainability concerns and efficiency demands are encouraging innovations in technology to improve consumer experience.
The awareness of hygiene has increased the demand for single-use packaging solutions, which has increased the demand for disposable packaging. The cost-effectiveness of disposable packaging solutions is driving the adoption rate compared to reusable ones. Moreover, disposable food packaging containers don’t require cleaning, which helps to reduce labor costs and is convenient for consumers with busy schedules. Such factors drive adopting disposable food packaging solutions in cafeterias, canteens, restaurants, and food stores.
Additionally, disposable packaging solutions are convenient for on-the-go consumption. Increased online food shopping is driving the utilization of disposable packaging solutions. Additionally, consumers are attracted to such packaging solutions due to their properties of reducing waste, food safety, and maintaining sustainability.
Furthermore, customization for brand differentiation, astute packaging temperature control ability, and biodegradable properties are driving the adoption of disposable packaging solutions. Growing urbanization and expansion of e-commerce are also projected to increase the demand rate for disposable food packaging solutions, which can hold significant opportunities for rigid chilled food packaging market expansion in the forecast period.
High raw materials costs like plastics, metals, papers, & glass, labor costs, and workflow management, can increase production costs for manufacturing companies. Regulatory compliance regarding labeling, certification requirements, supply chain transparency, hygiene standards, environmental impact concerns, and biodegradable packaging standards can hamper the productivity of packaging solutions by manufacturers.
Managing authentic designs to meet consumer expectations and designing for recyclability, and sustainability due to regulatory framework pressures can be difficult to balance by the production industry.
Asia Pacific accounted for the dominant rigid chilled food packaging market due to the rapid demand for convenience food in the region. Growing urbanization is driving a busy lifestyle, which increases demand for ready-to-eat meals in the region. Growing foreign influences are changing consumer preferences and food processes. As disposable income is rising, middle-class populations are being able to afford premium and customized packaged food products. Additionally, the growth of e-commerce platforms is responsible for market expansion. China is the major country holding the largest market share due to its vast urbanization and rising industrialization.
China's largest market share is due to the country's culture for meat and seafood consumption rates. Moreover, the country is constantly encouraging manufacturing companies to advance innovation in packaging solutions. India is the second largest country expanding rigid chilled food packaging market with its highest dairy computation and middle-class population.
The growth of e-commerce is vast in the North American region. The shifting consumer preference towards ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook meals and changing lifestyles are driving the expansion of the rigid chilled food packaging market in North America. Diverse and rapidly changing lifestyles has increased the online grocery shopping rate in the region. Online shopping gives various options and guarantees reviews of food products, which attracts consumers. Growing sustainability & eco-friendly awareness and disposable packaging income have diverse consumer engagement toward rigid food packaging solutions in the US, and expansion of e-commerce is working as fuel for these preferences.
Regulatory affairs are encouraging manufacturing companies to innovate in cutting-edge packaging technologies due to the increased demand for rigid chilled food packaging solutions in the country. Additionally, rising greenhouse emission concerns driving United States production companies' major focus on innovating recyclable packaging solutions for some years.
Based on type, the global rigid chilled food packaging market is split into plastic, metal, paper, glass, and other segments. The plastic segment accounted for the highest market share in 2023. Plastic materials are highly used in rigid chilled food packaging due to their strength and durability properties. Plastic is flexible and lightweight to handle and store in called places and prevents contamination.
Additionally, the affordability of plastic packaging materials is prioritizing its utilization by production companies. Plastic containers are easy to keep in any shape and easily mold, Polyethyle type of plastic packaging holds significant growth in market share. Additionally, growing innovations in sustainable plastics and technology advancements for smart packaging are expected to continue segment growth in the coming period.
Based on application, the meat, seafood & poultry segment holds the largest market share. Increased demand for ready-to-eat meals and changing lifestyles are factors influencing segment growth. Consumers are becoming more aware about the food hygiene and safety. Increasing demand for meat and seafood availability and e-commerce and online food delivery services are boosting segment expansion in the market. Poultry products have large shelf-life and are affordable, which helps to maintain their storage capabilities.
Raising eco-friendly and sustainability concerns can restrain segment growth, however, with consumer demand for premium and customized food packaging, companies are focusing on innovations for more visual appeal and high-end quality for Meat, Seafood & Poultry packaging solutions.
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Asmita Singh is a distinguished author and consultant in the packaging industry, recognized for her unwavering passion for knowledge discovery and her commitment to providing actionable insights. She holds an MBA from the University of Mumbai and a degree in Packaging Engineering from the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP), equipping her with a solid foundation in both business and technical aspects of packaging. With extensive experience in packaging consulting, Asmita has successfully implemented advanced research methodologies across various packaging categories, including flexible packaging, rigid packaging, sustainable packaging, and smart packaging. She generates high-quality data and delivers meaningful results that drive innovation and efficiency. Her expertise spans the globe, offering valuable consulting services to businesses seeking to enhance their packaging strategies. Asmitas work is characterized by a dedication to excellence and a keen understanding of the latest trends and technologies shaping the future of packaging.
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