Baby food packaging

Baby food packaging facts and numbers.

Barbara Iascone

The world of baby food covers the age group of infants, up to 12 months, and that of babies from 1 to 3 years of age. Various types of milk come under this food sector, both powdered and follow-on and growing-up milk, small pasta and cereal flours for infants and children, homogenised and freeze-dried products. These products are governed by regulations that protect their characteristics aimed at providing ideal nutrition for healthy growth and optimal development for the infant/child (new Reg. 2016/127).

The market: trends and quantities

On the basis of the latest final data from ISTAT (Italian National Statistical Institute), which go up to 2022, the “baby food” sector generated a turnover of over 450 million euros, achieving a growth of 6.3% compared to 2022. The main categories in the area in question are homogenized products, milk and biscuits - which cover respectively 40.1%, 27.2% and 10.8%. The remaining 21.9% is represented by various types of flour, small pasta, yoghurt and similar.

The data expressed in tonnes refer only to homogenised products (both meats and fruit and vegetables) and flours: in 2022 they reached 134,000 tonnes, recording a growth of +6% compared to the previous year.

Foreign trade also shows positive trends: imports grew by 19.5%, exceeding 6,100 tonnes and exports arrived at almost reaching 25,000 tonnes, up 4.8%. The first indications for 2023 show a trend in line with the rest of the food sector: production should close with a fall of -1.3% (around 132,000 tonnes). Foreign trade continues its positive course both with regards to imports, which grew by 27%, and for exports which show a good +11%, arriving at exceeding 7.000 tonnes for the first and 30,000 tonnes for the second.

Analysis of the packaging

The “homogenized and freeze-dried” segment mainly uses glass packaging (77%): most are jars, but there are also a small percentage of vials used exclusively for freeze-dried products inserted in the diet in the very early weaning period. Plastic jars represent 18% of the packaging mix, while the remaining 5% is attributable to laminated flexible packaging. In this context, in 2023, around 35,000 tonnes of packaging were used, including closures and packaging for transport (corrugated cardboard boxes and pallets), but around 30,000 relate to primary packaging. The “flours - small pasta” sector sees almost the exclusive presence of packaging in paper and cardboard, cardboard tubes and cartons.

The packaging of milk is divided between plastic and rigid laminates with a prevalence of paper, while powdered milk is mainly packaged in cardboard packets (tubes) for around 60%, and in plastic vials for 30%. The remaining 10% are divided between flexible laminates and metal containers.

In the world of yoghurts and small desserts for babies, plastic jars and vials account for 81%; the cheerpack in flexible laminate, much more common than for traditional yoghurt containers, accounts for 15% while glass jars are at 4%.