Europe Paper Packaging Market Size (2024 - 2029)

Europe Paper Packaging Market Analysis

The Europe Paper Packaging Market size is estimated at USD 91.71 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 114.12 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.47% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

• Paper packaging is a low-cost and versatile way to protect, store, and transport various products. It can also be customized to satisfy the needs of consumers or product-specific requirements. Attributes like biodegradability, lightweight, and recyclability of paper packaging make it an essential component for packaging. Due to such factors, the demand for such packaging has increased in the food and beverage industry.
• With the focus shifting toward sustainability, paper and paperboard packaging are expected to gain traction, with the country pushing for paper packaging products over plastic packaging for various end-user industries, including healthcare, food and beverages, retail, and e-commerce. The surging demand for paper packaging in the e-commerce industry will support market growth.
• The growth in the rate of urbanization across Europe has resulted in a higher focus on sustainability and convenience in food packaging. The increased need for consumer convenience is one of the primary factors driving the market. The foodservice packaging industry has recognized customers’ evolving demands and is catering to these changing preferences. Producers are considering how the packaging will be disposed of after usage, resulting in packaging items that can be discarded quickly.
• Amazon replaced plastic air pillows with paper for e-commerce across Europe. This paper, called dunnage, is specially designed to keep the product from moving inside the package, preventing damage. This packaging applies to all products sold through Amazon, including those that use Amazon's fulfillment services. Getting rid of plastic is a step in the right direction for Amazon. Amazon's latest step was to reduce single-use plastic packaging after switching from single-use plastic bags for Amazon-fulfilled shipping to paper bags and cardboard envelopes across Europe.
• The environmental impact of paper packaging is a concern. Procuring raw materials for paper production, particularly wood pulp, can contribute to deforestation if not managed sustainably. Deforestation can adversely affect ecosystems, biodiversity, and climate change. Furthermore, producing paper, mainly through specific processes like bleaching, can discharge dioxins, which are hazardous pollutants. These pollutants can have detrimental effects on the environment and human health.

Europe Paper Packaging Industry Segmentation

Paper and paperboard are frequently used for packaging products. There are numerous grades of paper packaging. Paperboard is the most common material used to make containers, like folding cartons. Paperboard requires processes such as 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 the reason for considering paper packaging as an eco-friendly and economical form of packaging.

The European paper packaging market is segmented by product type (folding cartons, corrugated boxes, and other product types), end-user industry (food, beverage, healthcare, personal care and household care, e-commerce, tobacco, and other end-user industries), and country (United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Rest of Europe). The report offers market sizes and forecasts in value terms (USD) for all the above segments.