Industry experts foresee continue growth in the flexible packaging industry, fueled by two developments: increasing consumer demands for convenient packages, and an industry push for sustainable, shelf-ready product designs, according to the Flexible Packaging Market Assessment produced by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.
Globally, pouches account for the majority of the flexible packaging used. Pouches are the fastest growing category and, within that, the pillow pouch is the predominant format. The popularity of pouches is driven by their flexibility and easy to carry, lightweight nature. However, retailers such as Walmart are pushing manufacturers toward stand-up pouches (SUP), which are viewed as shelf-ready.