EDIBLE PACKAGING MARKET ANALYSIS

Edible packaging is a type of packaging that is used for wrapping food products or consumables products, such as medicine. Edible packaging is mostly done to increase the shelf-life of food products. The edible packagings are designed to be eaten and have the ability to biodegrade efficiently. Edible packaging is made from different materials such as surfactant, polysaccharides, protein films, lipid, and composite films.

The global edible packaging market was valued at US$ 1,004.00 million in 2022 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 6.29% over the forecast period (2023-2030).

Drivers

Growing need to reduce the packaging wastes

Growing need to reduce the packaging waste is expected to propel the global edible packaging market growth. Packaging accounts for approximately one-third of the world’s garbage. Thus, growing awareness about environmental problems, since the solid waste is creating the need for the recycling of the waste in order to reduce the landfills because of the solid waste. Edible packaging plays an important role in reducing landfill disposals.

Need for the longer shelf life of the edible products

Increasing use of edible packaging for extending the shelf-life of the edible products is fostering the market growth. The ability to offer a longer shelf-life to products is driving demand for edible packaging. It can easily get tampered which makes it an ideal option for the packaging of different food products. Thus, the growing need for increasing the shelf-life of food products is propelling the global edible packaging market growth.

Figure 1. Global Edible Packaging Market Value Share (%), By Region, 2022

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North America dominated the global edible packaging market in 2022, accounting for 35.7% share in terms of revenue, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. Middle East and Africa were accounted for the least market share in the year 2022.

Market Restraints

Higher cost of packaging material

The high cost of edible packaging materials is expected to restrict the market growth. According to Coherent Market Insights’ analysis, the initial cost of one ton of edible films can be between 3000 to 3600 USD, depending on the quality and size of the machine. Thus, the high cost of edible packaging is projected to hamper the market growth.

Need for secondary packaging while using edible packaging

Edible packaging requires secondary packaging in order to deliver things to consumers safely, effectively, and consistently. Which is one of the key factors restricting its use. This factor is projected to hamper the edible packaging market growth over the forecast period.

Market Trends

Growing preference for reducing wastage of products is one of the growing trends in the market. Edible packaging reduces waste on landfills and increases the shelf-life of the products. Moreover, growing environmental concerns around the globe and the need for a sustainable environment are projected to foster the edible packaging market growth. Continuous product innovation by the edible packaging manufacturer in a sustainable packaging solution, is one of the emerging trends in the market, which is expected to foster the market growth. For instance, in November 2020, researchers of the University of Nottingham developed 100% biodegradable and edible food packaging, made from plant carbohydrates and proteins to replace polluting plastic materials and improve storage, safety, and shelf life of food/product. This move is in response to the growing need for environmental sustainability.

Figure 2. Global Edible Packaging Market Value Share, By Material Type, 2022

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Edible Packaging Market, Segment Analysis by Material Type:

Based on material type, the market is segmented into Polysaccharides, Lipid, Surfactant, Protein Films, and Composite Films. The Protein Films segment accounted for the largest market share in the global edible packaging market and accounted for 31.8% share in 2022.

Increasing health awareness among millennial population is expected to drive the market demand for this segment as they are more aware about the hygienic foods and packaged products 

The key players operating in the edible packaging market include MonoSol, Kuraray Co. Ltd., JRF Technology, WikiFoods Inc., Safetraces Inc., and Tate and Lyle Plc. These players are engaged in developing innovative products to meet emerging consumer trends. Moreover, they focus on providing high-quality products to their consumers to retain their market share/value.

Recent Developments

• In November 2020, researchers from IIT (Indian Institute of Technology), Kharagpur, developed a biodegradable food packaging material from cucumber peels with high cellulose content that could be used instead of single-use plastic for food packaging material
• In June 2020, EU-funded project named YPACK was launched for the development of biodegradable food packaging products which are edible in nature since over the past couple years, YPACK has developed a bio-based plastic alternative to traditional plastic food packaging. YPACK’s compostable packaging is made from a sustainable biopolymer, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), produced from industry by-products cheese whey and micro-cellulose from almond shells.
• In February 2020, Toppan,a packaging solutions provider, launched food packaging systems that include edible packaging products.

Competitive Section

Major players operating in the global edible packaging market include MonoSol, Kuraray Co. Ltd., JRF Technology, WikiFoods Inc., Safetraces Inc., and Tate and Lyle Plc.