How Large is the Global Packaging Industry?

How Large is the Global Packaging Industry?

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Taken altogether, packaging is considered the third-largest industry in the world. It is bigger than almost everything, including entertainment, construction, or agriculture. At first glance, it’s obvious that packaging would be big; after all, pretty much everything you buy is in a package, and those packages were shipped in a package, and those packages may have been in bigger packages at some point. Packaging touches every aspect of industry in one way or another, so it makes sense that packaging would be a major sector of the world economy.

How Big is the US Packaging Industry?

Mordor Intelligence reports the packaging Industry in United States is estimated at USD 193.13 billion in 2023. And it is expected to reach USD 222.59 billion by 2028 growing 2.88% by then. Furthermore, the US is one of the fastest-growing packaging markets in North America.

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How is the Global Packaging Industry So Large?

By doing so much, in so many places, and by being completely indispensable to modern life. There are so many facets to the packaging industry, it’s surprising that packaging isn’t #1.

Globalization and the Packaging Industry

Globalization has fundamentally altered the way the world does business, and shipping is critical to globalization. Products are moved all over the world, from raw materials to finished products, from factories to store shelves, and every type of product creates its own requirements for safety and efficiency. iPhones coming from China, need very different packaging to keep them protected from the elements or from rough handling. Whether it’s cars or toys, packaging engineers must design the means to get them to their destination safely.

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What are the Effects of Consumer Habits on the Packaging Industry?

Consumer shipping has also exploded in the last decade, as online shopping has come to rival traditional retail sales. E-commerce hasn’t overtaken conventional retail yet – it still only accounts for around 10% of total sales – but it is growing more than three times as fast as traditional retail. And as Amazon and other online sales sites continue to expand into typically brick-and-mortar based business like food and medicine, it won’t be long until we can buy anything we need from home. That creates an ever-growing sector for packaging and shipping.

As with consumer products, agricultural goods and food distribution has changed radically with the rise of globalization. Where the spice trade drove the exploration of the world and created the first global trade routes, today nearly everything in the grocery store has roots elsewhere, from Peruvian avocados to Chinese rice. There are a world of considerations in shipping fresh produce, raw materials, and processed foods, whether across oceans or down thousands of miles of railroad and interstate. Packaging has to protect food from rotting and damage, for days and weeks at the time, besides protecting consumers from disease and pests. In other words, packaging helps keep tarantulas out of your bananas.

Packaging for Healthcare

In the United States, the healthcare industry is one of the largest and most profitable, and only poised to grow more explosively over the next decade, eventually including more employees than any other industry. Pharmaceuticals and medical devices require their own special subset of packaging, considering the many factors involved in safety, from protecting expensive equipment from damage in shipping to preventing spoilage and contamination of medications.

With the whole world competing for consumer dollars, packaging is also a crucial part of marketing, making packaging design critical to the modern economy. Goods may make it to the shelves due to well-engineered packaging, but aesthetically well-designed packaging is what makes them fly off the shelves. An attractive package and smart consumer psychology often makes the difference between retail sales and bargain bin.


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Aya Andrews

Editor-in-Chief

Aya Andrews is a passionate educator and mother of two, with a diverse background that has shaped her approach to teaching and learning. Born in Metro Manila, she now calls San Diego home and is proud to be a Filipino-American. Aya earned her Masters degree in Education from San Diego State University, where she focused on developing innovative teaching methods to engage and inspire students.

Prior to her work in education, Aya spent several years as a continuing education consultant for KPMG, where she honed her skills in project management and client relations. She brings this same level of professionalism and expertise to her work as an educator, where she is committed to helping each of her students achieve their full potential.

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