The global flexible packaging market is expected to grow by an average annual rate of 4.4%, reaching $99.10 billion by 2019, making it one of the fastest growing segments in the packaging industry.1 The success predicted for this market stems from operational and supply chain efficiencies inherent to flexible packaging as well as its ability to enhance shelf presence and extend shelf life. Additionally, the increasing popularity of flexible packaging requires manufacturers to rethink their secondary packaging decisions.
Flexible packaging uses less material and requires less energy to produce than other packaging types. The format also offers a high product-to-package ratio and adds less weight to the final package. Because vast amounts of packaged products are shipped each year, even small weight reductions of individual packages can generate significant savings in transportation costs and reduce the carbon footprint. Thus, the packaging contributes to sustainability efforts.