The global market for active and intelligent packaging will double over the next decade on rising food safety concerns, demographic and economic changes and increasing health awareness, said a report from industry analysts. The research from Visiongain said demand for active, intelligent and smart (AI&S) packaging will climb by around 8% per year to reach US$17.23bn by 2016 and by an average of 7.7% annually to be worth US$24.65bn by 2021. The strengthening of the global food supply chain and the necessity to meet heightened food safety concerns will "spur requirements for more sophisticated packaging in order to extend shelf life or enhance traceability of food and drinks", said the analysts in its report The Active, Intelligent and Smart Food & Drink Packaging Market 2011-2021. Other trends driving growth will be rapidly ageing populations in Australia and Japan, coupled with anxiety over rising levels of food waste – thought to top 80m tonnes per year in the European Union alone. Growth in intelligent technology will be fuelled by robust demands gains for "time-temperature indicators and the emergence of smart packaging systems offering product differentiation, traceability and other interactive features at affordable prices", said Visiongain. The active packaging segment will see expansion through demand for oxygen scavengers in food and beverages. Regional growth The largest national AI&S packaging market is forecast to be the US – expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4% to be worth $3.6bn by the end of 2021. Japan will be the second largest market, with a predicted worth of $2.36bn in 10 years' time. Demand for AI&S technology in Australia is likely to reach $1.69bn in the next decade, making it the third largest market. The UK, characterized as a "gradually emerging market", is forecast to be worth $1.27bn while demand in Germany is predicted to jump from $620m to $1.4bn over the period. Overall, Europe is seen as the second largest market for AI&S packaging b based on "increased demand for sustainable packaging and stringent regulations". "Manufacturers in countries like France, Germany and the UK, in order to cope with EU food safety law, are increasing their focus on AI&S applications", said the research. Key technologies Gas scavengers, currently accounting for 36% of the total market, will register "solid growth" on "increased demand for barrier PET bottles in single serve sizes, especially those manufactured from less-costly monolayer oxygen scavenging systems", said the report. Growth in oxygen absorbers should also increase – spurred on by rising demand for packaged organic foods and the removal of trans fats from processed products. Trends towards cleaner labels and extended shelf life will aid this, said the company. Moisture control applications, with a present market share of 29%, will see slower growth because of presence of more mature product types and applications The Active, Intelligent and Smart Food & Drink Packaging Market 2011-2021 is available from Visiongain.
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