US Demand for pet food packaging to reach $2.5 billion
US demand for pet food packaging is expected to rise 4.8% annually to $2.5 billion in 2018. Growth will be based on the use of higher-value, more-sophisticated packaging and continued strength in pet food shipments fueled by an expected rebound in the pet population. The proliferation of premium pet food brands providing healthier, more nutritious alternatives (corresponding to the continuing humanization of pets by their owners) also will spur packaging demand growth. These and other trends are presented in Pet Food Packaging, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc. (freedoniagroup.com), a Cleveland-based market research firm.
According to analyst Joe Pryweller, “Plastic pouches will be the primary beneficiary of the trend toward more advanced pet food packaging. Pouch demand in pet food packaging will rise 8.3% per year to $540 million in 2018, the fastest pace of growth among pet food packaging types.” Pouch demand will be bolstered by features that are inherently convenient for consumers, including zippered closure mechanisms and light weight, as well as by reduced transportation costs due to their light weight.