Flat Pouches Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Material (Plastic, Metal, Paper, and Others), By Product Type (Pillow (Back or T-seal) Pouches, Four-Side Sealed Pouches, Three-Side Sealed Pouches, and Others), By Application (Food & Beverages, Pharmaceutical, Home Care, Personal Care & Cosmetics, Industrial, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2024-2032

Flat pouches are sealed, small, and portable packaging solutions that provide convenience in handling. Flat pouches are generally made of flexible materials, enabling them to take any shape. The surging demand for flexible packaging globally is driving the growth of the flat pouches market. Flat pouches offer efficient and economical packaging solutions, ensuring pouches don’t have gussets or folds and can be side welded or bottom sealed. Furthermore, the easy customizability and printability of the flat pouches are thriving in the growth of this market.

• According to the Flexible Packaging Association, flexible packaging is the second largest packaging segment, holding a 19% share in the packaging in 2019, and food held a 52% share of flexible packaging. Thus, the increasing demand for flexible packaging is also thriving in the growth of flat pouches.

The shifting trend of consuming processed food and the inclination of people toward packed food due to changing and busy lifestyles provides new opportunities for the flat pouches market. Moreover, the increasing consumption of powdered tea & coffee and food products that have quick turnarounds, such as snacks, nuts, chips, and others, is bolstering the growth of this market. The accelerating use of flat pouches in the packaging of pet food and agricultural products such as fertilizers and seeds to keep the product fresh and prevent it from contamination is boosting the growth of the flat pouches market.

The flat pouches cannot stand on themselves, thus need to be put in trays and cannot be used for display and advertising. Flat pouches are not reusable and increase waste, unlike cans, bottles, and pouches with zippers. In certain European nations, single-use plastic packaging is banned. Such factors are impeding the growth of this market. However, the development of zipper locks and reusable flat pouches is helping the market to deal with growth-restricting factors.

IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE FLAT POUCHES MARKET

The sudden and inevitable coronavirus outbreak impacted all industries and led to a fall in the demand and supply of raw materials, resulting in the negative growth of the market. The food & beverage and agricultural sector observed moderate growth due to the increasing use of single-use packaging during the pandemic. The pharmaceutical industry witnessed positive growth while other industries witnessed negative growth.

SEGMENTATION

KEY INSIGHTS

The report will cover the following key insights:

• Recent Advancements in the Flat Pouches Market


• Key Industry Trends


• Regulatory Landscape for the Flat Pouches Market


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


• Impact of COVID-19 on the Market

ANALYSIS BY MATERIAL

Based on material, the market is segmented into plastic, metal, paper, and others. Plastic holds the largest share of the flat pouches market. Plastic provides durability to the goods and prevents the leakage of liquid products, unlike other materials. Moreover, plastic's tear-resistance properties contribute to the segment's growth.

ANALYSIS BY PRODUCT TYPE

Based on product type, the market is segmented into pillow (Back or T-seal) pouches, four-sided sealed pouches, three-sided sealed pouches, and others. Three sides sealed pouches dominate the segment of the flat pouches market. These pouches are versatile packaging solutions compared to rigid pouches and have negligible weight. They have better temperature tolerance and help extend the shelf life of products, contributing to the growth of this segment.

ANALYSIS BY APPLICATION

Based on application, the market is segmented into food & beverage, pharmaceutical, home care, personal care & cosmetics, and industrial. Food & beverage is the dominating segment of the flat pouches market. The growing food & beverage industry has raised the demand for packed food. In addition, the increasing number of food outlets and restaurants has raised the demand for flat pouches for packaging sauce, condiments, and gravy to provide high oxygen and moisture barrier. Furthermore, changing eating habits have flourished the demand of one time use items such as powdered coffee, tea, sugar, and other liquids bolstering the growth of this segment.

REGIONAL ANALYSIS

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The flat pouches market has been studied across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is the dominating region of the flat pouches market. The growing food & beverage industry, due to the increasing population and rising disposable income, is contributing to the growth of this region. North America is experiencing significant growth due to its well-established pharmaceutical industry and trade with other countries. The Europe is expected to grow at a moderate rate due to the development of sustainable products and materials such as paper due to restrictions on single-use packaging. Latin America is witnessed to grow steadily due to the increasing number of food outlets and industries. The Middle East & Africa is anticipated to grow significantly due to increasing consumption of processed food and the surging personal care & cosmetics industry.

KEY PLAYERS COVERED

The report will include profiles of key players such as Smart Pouches, PBFY Flexible Packaging, Amcor, The Vacuum Pouch Co. Ltd, Ultimate Flexipack Limited, Swiss Pack, Unified Flex Packaging Technologies, PAKONA ENGINEERS  PRIVATE LIMITED, Fshiny Packaging, EcoPackBag, epac flexible packaging, among others.

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

• December 2021 - A U.K.-based supermarket chain launched a new line of chicken breast dippers that branded its package as a paper pillow pouch. It will help the company to reduce its carbon footprint.