Retort Pouch Packaging Market Size, Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Material (Paper & Paperboard, Plastic, Aluminum, and Others), By Product Type (Spouted Pouches, Zipper Pouches, Stand-up Pouches, Flat Pouches, and Others), By End-use (Food & Beverages, Healthcare, Personal Care, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2024-2032

Retort pouch packaging is a flexible packaging method. They are semi-rigid and are used to pack food that is already cooked or semi-cooked, sealed & sterilized to create pouches with a long shelf life of up to 18 months with no preservative & zero refrigeration. Retort pouch packaging is laminated with layers of metal foil & plastic films that can resist any temperature & pressure. The market is expanding owing to the high intake of packed food in both established & developing economies.

• For instance, on April 2022, ProAmpac announced the latest ProActive sustainability product family addition with ProActive PCR Retort. With Recycle Ready Retort RT 3000, these pouches deliver on ProAmpac's promise to innovate more sustainable choices.

The growing demand for retort packaging in the food & beverage industry is driving growth. Retort packaging is cost-effective & provides durability and long shelf life to the food, protecting it from spoilage. Furthermore, the rising demand for ready-to-eat food is the main reason behind the development of the global retort pouch packaging market.

Also, the most significant restraint is the capacity for production in terms of the inevitably growing demand for products with environmentally friendly packaging. Also, the availability & prices of raw materials changing rapidly, which are used in the production of pouches, create hurdles for the manufacturer, restricting the retort pouch market growth for the forecast period.

IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE GLOBAL RETORT POUCH PACKAGING MARKET

The outbreak of COVID-19 impacted almost all industries & businesses across the world. The retort packaging market was also affected as many players faced disruptions in the supply of raw materials as transportation was restricted & there was a shortage of labor. This created a great challenge for manufacturers & it took some time for them to overcome & which pushed some companies to shut down their businesses. The outbreak also impacted the market as people were restrained from consuming any packaged food due to the risk of infection, which hindered the market's growth.

KEY INSIGHTS

The report will cover the following key insights

• Recent Advancements in Global Retort Pouch Packaging Market


• Key Industry Trends


• Regulatory Landscape for the Global Retort Pouch Packaging Market


• Key Industry Developments (Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships)


• Impact of COVID-19 on the Market

ANALYSIS BY MATERIAL

The market is segmented into paper & paperboard, plastic, aluminum, and others. The plastic segment dominates the retort pouch market, where polypropylene is used majorly. It has high clarity, making it easy to view the packaged products. Manufacturers use it as it gives more value to the product since customers can see what's inside the packaging. It also can be manufactured as transparent without color. PET material under plastic holds the next largest share as it offers strength and also acts as an excellent printable base, which is why it is used mainly in retort pouches packaging. Whereas aluminum foil also is used as a block layer & protects the pouch from foul smell, temperature, humidity & gases.

ANALYSIS BY PRODUCT

The market is segmented into spouted, zipper pouches, stand-up pouches, flat pouches, and others. Based on packaging type, stand-up pouches are leading the market. Stand-up pouches contribute the maximum to the global retort packaging market as they are lightweight, easily printable & sealed. It also gives manufacturers & brand owners a marketing means to play with the aesthetic & construction of the pouches. This helps in attracting more customers & works as an excellent way to gain more customer attention. These stand-up pouches come in different styles with spouts, notches, caps & zippers. Flat retort packaging is the second largest segment contributing to the market's growth as it is primarily used in packaging seafood, meat & pet food. The growing demand for single-serve food options will support the market's development.  

ANALYSIS BY END-USE

Based on the end-use, the market is segmented into food & beverage, healthcare, personal care, and others. The food & beverage segment dominates the market as the growing demand for ready-to-eat packaging will continue to grow and contribute to the market's growth. The increasing demand for portion-controlled packed food & single-serve food items is augmenting the segment's development and will continue to contribute more in the forecast period. Factors such as temperature resistance and barrier, which makes shelf life longer, are the reason behind the market's growth. Retort packaging is also used in the health care & personal care segment for products that require extra care & longer shelf life; industries like health care and personal care are expected to contribute more to the growth in the forecast period.

ANALYSIS BY REGION

The region's market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Asia-Pacific is leading the market & is anticipated to grow, owing to the rise in demand for ready-to-eat meals in this region. Lifestyle changes & a growing population will increase the demand for convenience meals. The factors such as rising disposable income will create more opportunity alternatives in the food & beverage sector. Europe will be the second largest contributor to the market's growth since most of the market players in food & beverage are in this region. Also, Europe is one of the largest exporters of food items, contributing to regional growth.

KEY PLAYERS COVERED

The report will include profiles of key players, such as ProAmpac LLC, Sonoco Products Company, Huhtamaki Group, Mondi, Coveris Holdings S.A., Amcor plc, Clondalkin Group Holdings B.V., Sealed Air Corporation, Constantia Flexibles, Winpak Ltd, and Flair Flexible Packaging Corporation.

SEGMENTATION

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS.

• December 2022: Toppan, a Japan-based packaging company, added retort packaging to its all-PP G.L. barrier line-up and introduced ALL-PE barrier packaging for boiling sterilization.


• August 2022: S.P. Group launched the "first" high-barrier recyclable, retort packaging solution for vacuum packaging, branded it P.P. HB Eco top. It consists of a top film-based web for vacuum packing & product is primarily designed for the FMCG market.


• October 2021: Mondi released a notification about expanding its portfolio of food & pet food packaging with Retort Pouches, an aluminum-free, mono-material solution designed to replace traditional unrecyclable solutions.