Rigid plastic and non-laminated flexible packaging

Trend in the production and market positioning of a type of packaging used in a wide range of sectors. 2023 data.

Barbara Iascone

In this analysis, we examine both rigid and non-laminated flexible packaging (such as shopping bags, film, protective bubble-wrap, etc.), as well as accessories, that is to say, closures, cords, straps, etc. Converter-produced flexible packaging is, therefore, excluded, being the subject of a separate discussion. Specifically, rigid packaging mainly comprises so-called blown containers – drink bottles, detergent bottles, etc. – but also thermoformed containers, like trays used to package food products (ice-creams, fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, etc.).

Equally widely found in the food & beverage and non-food sectors, plastic packaging occupies a significant position in the global packaging industry: given that it is a very light form of packaging, in term of tonnes it represents 17% of the total, but accounts for over 50% if considered in terms of turnover. It’s one of the most recent and modern forms of packaging: its first use in the food world dates back to 1973, when Nathaniel Wyeth (Du Pont) patented the PET bottle as a container for fizzy drinks.

Since then, giant leaps have been made in terms of technology, performance and respect of the environment, given today’s prevailing trend of using recycled plastic for the production of packaging, especially bottles. Another important factor is the exclusive use of bioplastics in the production of shopping bags.

The plastic packaging market

The sector shows in 2023 a generally stable situation, with production expressed in tonnes standing at 2,907 t/000, registering a fall of 4.5% compared to the previous year. This fall regards in particular the use of virgin polymers, while the use of polymers coming from recycling is continuously growing, up 4% in 2023 compared to 2022; the use of biopolymers is also up, by 1%.

The subdivision analysed in Imballaggio in cifre (Packaging in figures) also makes a breakdown between flexible packaging, represented by sacks, bags and film which, in 2023, accounted for 39.6% of plastic packaging. 50.6% of the sector is represented by rigid packaging – bottles, crates, etc. – while 10% is attributed to accessories, that is, closures, honeycombs, straps and protective packaging such as bubble wrap, chips, stickers … In 2023, non-laminated flexible packaging reached 1,150 t/000, recording a fall of 5%; rigid packaging fell by 3.7% (as a result of the fall in the beverages sector), just exceeding 1,500 t/000. Accessories also fell by 6.3% arriving at 283 t/000.

The foreign market shows a negative trend both with regards to exports (-7.3%), and to a lesser extend imports (-2.3%). The trade balance in 2023 remains positive, albeit in steady decline: 142,000 tonnes, down 27% from 2022. This phenomenon is explained by the significant presence in the sector of multinational companies, which in the last few years have shifted production to foreign sites where it’s cheaper to produce compared to Italy. As for the entire packaging sector, the bulk of trade is with European countries, especially France and Germany: 89.4% for exports and 81.8% of imports. After the increases recorded in 2022, the 2023 turnover is down 4%.

With regards, finally, to packaging made with bioplastics, in Italy there was an increase of 0.8% (around 118.000 tonnes). In first place in the use of bioplastics, we find sacks for the transport of goods (62% of the total), followed by ultralight sacks used for packaging loose fruit and vegetables (17.5%). The remaining 20.5% is divided between bags for the collection of organic waste (15%), articles for agriculture (3%), the catering industry (disposable tableware), food packaging (trays) and personal hygiene (2.5% in total).

User sectors

As for packaging in paper and cardboard, there are numerous uses also for those made of plastic. The most significant field of application, despite the fall registered in this context, remains the food and beverage sector, accounting for 77.8%; specifically, 53.5% of packaging is used for food and 24.3% for beverages. Its use in the cosmetics industry is growing, in which plastic packaging is widely employed, with jars and bottles among the most common packaging types. It should be pointed out that the cosmetics sector in 2023 recorded an increase of 10%, thereby also positively influencing the production and use of dedicated packaging.

Shopping bags made with bioplastic material are up 1%: and this is one of the factors that has affected the growth of non-laminated flexible packaging.

Barbara Iascone
Italian Packaging Institute