Packaging Industry Report 2025: Key Data & Innovation

The Packaging Industry Report 2025 shows how sustainable materials, smart tech, and custom solutions reshape global packaging. Innovations like biodegradable, connected, and modular packaging improve performance and reduce environmental impact.

The report also offers stakeholders, investors, policymakers, and analysts a clear view of the packaging market’s direction, challenges, and future growth potential.

Executive Summary: Packaging Market Outlook 2025

• Industry Growth Overview: The global sustainable packaging market size accounted for USD 126.50 billion in 2025 and is forecasted to hit around USD 240.52 billion by 2034. It represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.42% from 2025 to 2034. On a granular level, the packaging market experienced a nominal growth of 0.37% over the past year, as per the Discovery Platform’s latest data.
• Manpower & Employment Growth: The packaging market employs over 25 million individuals globally, with an increase of over 1 million new jobs added in the last year.
• Patents & Grants: The packaging market holds over 1010 400 patents and 12 680 grants. However, the patent growth rate is declining by 0.41% annually, with the US and China leading in patent issuance.
• Global Footprint: Key hubs for packaging include the US, India, UK, Germany, and Australia, showcasing a diverse global infrastructure supporting market growth. Major city hubs encompass London, New York City, Sydney, Melbourne, and Dubai.
• Investment Landscape: The average investment value per funding round exceeds USD 49.1 million, with over 51 100 funding rounds closed. More than 30K investors are actively engaged in the packaging market.
• Top Investors: Major investors include HSBC, Bank of America, Amazon, European Investment Bank, and more. These have collectively invested over USD 21.6 billion across numerous companies.
• Startup Ecosystem: Five innovative startups, ReInPack (smart eco-sustainable packaging), DolcePack (industrial packaging process automation), Unbubble (biodegradable packing peanut), AURAPLEX (custom-made packaging machines), and Opack (reusable packaging solution) showcase the packaging market’s global reach and entrepreneurial spirit.

Methodology: How we created this Packaging Report

This report is based on proprietary data from our AI-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, which tracks 7 million global companies, 20K+ technologies and trends as well as 150M patents, news articles and market reports. This data includes detailed firmographic insights into approximately 7 million startups, scaleups, and tech companies. Leveraging this exhaustive database, we provide actionable insights for startup scouting, trend discovery, and technology landscaping.

For this report, we focused on the evolution of packaging over the past 5 years, utilizing our platform’s trend intelligence feature. Key data points analyzed include:

• Total Companies working in the sector
• News Coverage and Annual Growth
• Market Maturity and Patents
• Global Search Volume & Growth
• Funding Activity and Top Countries
• Subtrends within packaging

Our data is refreshed regularly, enabling trend comparisons for deeper insights into their relative impact and importance.

Additionally, we reviewed trusted external resources to supplement our findings with broader market data and predictions, ensuring a reliable and comprehensive overview of the packaging market.

What Data is used to create this Packaging Market Report?

Based on data provided by the StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, we observe that the packaging market stands out in the following categories relative to the 20K+ technologies and trends we track.

These categories provide a comprehensive overview of the market’s key metrics and inform the future direction of the market.

• News Coverage & Publications: The packaging market featured in over 113 650 publications in the last year.
• Funding Rounds: There have been more than 51 100 funding rounds recorded in our database for this domain.
• Manpower: The global workforce in the packaging market exceeds 25 million, with an additional 1 million employees added in the past year alone.
• Patents: The packaging market holds more than 1010 400 patents.
• Grants: Over 12 680 grants have been awarded to companies within the packaging domain.
• Yearly Global Search Growth: The packaging market has experienced a yearly global search growth of 8.29%.

Explore the Data-driven Packaging Market Report for 2025

According to Precedence Research, the global sustainable packaging market size accounted for USD 126.50 billion in 2025. It is forecasted to hit around USD 240.52 billion by 2034 with a CAGR of 7.42% from 2025 to 2034.

Credit: Precedence Research

Our database includes 21 180 startups, with a total of over 337 720 companies contributing to the packaging market’s growth. Despite a market growth of 0.37% in the past year, the packaging industry continues to thrive.

Additionally, the global workforce for these companies exceeds 25 million, with an employee growth of 1 million over the last year.

The key hubs driving innovation within the packaging market are located in the US, India, the UK, Germany, and Australia, with top cities including London, New York City, Sydney, Melbourne, and Dubai

A Snapshot of the Global Packaging Market

Over the past year, the packaging industry experienced an annual growth of 0.37%. Our database includes 21 180 startups, with 6180+ early-stage companies.

Additionally, more than 10 990 mergers and acquisitions (M&A) occurred, which indicates consolidation and growth within the packaging industry.

The patent landscape reveals 1010 400+ patents filed, with a declining yearly patent growth rate of 0.41%.

Further, the top issuer of patents is the USA, accounting for over 245 140 patents, followed by China with 179 940+ patents.

Explore the Funding Landscape of the Packaging Market

The average investment value per round exceeds USD 49.1 million, which showcases the financial backing the packaging industry attracts. With over 51 100 funding rounds closed, more than 30K investors actively contributed to shaping the packaging industry’s growth and innovation.

Additionally, these investments span across 19 010+ companies, which highlights the broad appeal and diverse opportunities within the packaging market.

Who is Investing in the Packaging Market?

The combined investment value of the top investors in the packaging market exceeds USD 21.6 billion. Here is a breakdown of their contributions:

• HSBC invested USD 2.5 billion in 50 companies.
• Bank of America backed 13 companies with USD 2.5 billion.
• Amazon invested in 8 companies with USD 2.4 billion.
• European Investment Bank backed 25 companies with USD 2.1 billion.
• Goldman Sachs supported 29 companies with USD 1.9 billion.
• Carlyle Group invested USD 1.7 billion across 18 companies.
• GIC invested USD 1.7 billion in 10 companies.
• Gores Holdings deployed USD 1.7 billion into at least 1 company.
• Sequoia Capital backed 53 companies with USD 1.6 billion.
• Rabobank invested in 21 companies with a total of USD 1.5 billion.

Top Packaging Innovations & Trends

Discover the emerging trends in the packaging market along with their firmographic details:

• Sustainable Packaging leads innovation in the packaging industry, with over 4320 companies and a global workforce of 664 700 professionals. The addition of 30K new employees in the past year and an annual growth rate of 17.35% reflect industry and consumer demand for eco-conscious alternatives. This domain reduces the environmental impact of packaging by using recyclable materials and biodegradable alternatives. It also emphasizes low-carbon production processes across product design, manufacturing, and distribution.
• Custom Packaging domain has 8190 companies and 486 600 employees worldwide. It added 23 300 new roles over the past year, driven by businesses that create differentiated customer experiences. Although its annual growth rate is modest at 2.49%, the demand for personalized and brand-aligned packaging solutions keeps this segment steady. Custom packaging supports sectors like e-commerce, retail, and consumer goods. In these industries, the unboxing experience, brand identity, and functional design are vital to customer satisfaction.
• Smart Packaging gains momentum with 720 companies and a specialized workforce of 75K employees. It added 3500 new roles in the last year and is growing at 15.38% annually. This domain introduces technologies such as sensors, quick response (QR) codes, and near field communication (NFC) tags into packaging. These tools enable product tracking, anti-counterfeiting, and consumer engagement. As supply chains grow, smart packaging increases transparency, ensures authenticity, and improves user interaction.

5 Top Examples from 21180+ Innovative Packaging Startups

The five innovative startups showcased below are picked based on data including the trend they operate within and their relevance, founding year, funding status, and more. Book a demo to find promising startups, emerging trends, or industry data specific to your company’s needs and objectives.

ReInPack specializes in Smart Eco-sustainable Packaging

Italian startup ReInPack builds PAKY, a reusable smart packaging container for last-mile food delivery and retail logistics. It embeds internet of things (IoT) sensors and AI to track consumption, manage inventory in real time, and automate restocking directly from the consumer’s pantry.

Cloud-based logistics systems manage traceability from packaging and warehouse picking to delivery, use, and return. Additionally, the design of the container withstands repeated sanitization and fits standard packaging.

ReInPack provides packaging as a service to reduce single-use material waste, increase supply chain visibility, and support circular logistics for sustainable and efficient operations.

DolcePack offers Industrial Packaging Process Automation

Swiss startup DolcePack builds REVO model, premade pouch filling and sealing machines for food and non-food packaging applications. The startup integrates vertical rotary carousels, automated changeover systems, and modular configurations to streamline pouch handling for solids, powders, and liquids.

Further, the model supports rapid setup and smooth format changes across multiple pouch styles, including doypack, gusseted, and zip closures. Additionally, the startup develops the COMBI SPRINT system with quick-switch capabilities and an open-frame design to simplify cleaning and maintenance.

Thus, DolcePack automates the filling process and reduces downtime for producers to improve packaging operations and handle diverse product types efficiently.

Unbubble provides Biodegradable Packing Peanuts

Indian startup Unbubble develops plant-based, biodegradable packaging peanuts that dissolve in water and eliminate post-consumer waste. It sources natural, renewable materials to produce a water-soluble solution that breaks down immediately after unboxing. This prevents long-term pollution from petroleum-based packaging.

Moreover, the startup designs the peanuts to act as a mild fertilizer when dissolved, which allows businesses to water plants with the solution. It also ensures the composition remains non-toxic and safe for creative activities or play.

This way, Unbubble reduces carbon emissions and leaves no residue to offer a sustainable packaging option that lowers environmental impact and promotes circular material use.

AURAPLEX creates Custom-made Packaging Machines

Malaysian startup AURAPLEX manufactures custom-built packaging machines that automate product containment and protection.

The startup builds equipment that caps bottles, seals plastic packaging, vacuum-seals food items, shrinks plastic covers, fills containers, and seals cartons. The vacuum sealing units secure food-safe packaging, and the shrink tunnels apply heat to wrap plastic covers tightly around products.

Additionally, the filling systems load contents into bottles or containers, and the carton sealers close boxes at high speed. As a result, the machines streamline packaging workflows, reduce manual labor, and ensure uniform packaging standards.

Opack provides a Reusable Packaging Solution

French startup Opack designs reusable packaging that eliminates waste in e-commerce deliveries. It provides two formats, a soft pouch for non-fragile items like clothing and a cushioned version for electronics, cosmetics, and other delicate products.

The packaging uses built-in inflatable shimming that recipients deflate with a straw after delivery, then fold for return or reuse. Each unit supports up to 100 reuse cycles, and its lightweight, protective structure reduces shipping weight and prevents product damage.

Moreover, the startup manufactures the packaging and integrates a seal-cutting and folding system that streamlines post-delivery handling without generating waste. It further replaces disposable materials with returnable alternatives, builds circular logistics, and lowers environmental impact across the packaging lifecycle.

Gain Comprehensive Insights into Packaging Trends, Startups, and Technologies

The Packaging Industry Report 2025 tracks the sector’s shift toward intelligent, eco-conscious, and tech-driven solutions. As sustainability goals, regulations, and consumer expectations rise, companies adopt trends like digital printing, reusable materials, and robotics in packaging lines.

Technologies such as machine vision, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and automated filling systems improve traceability, reduce waste, and speed up production.

Get in touch to explore 21180+ startups and scaleups, as well as all market trends impacting packaging companies.