Page 36 - Packaging News Nov-Dec 2019

TRENDS & TECHNOLOGY
RIGHT: Top ten pack types in Australasia.
SOURCE:PMMI/EUROMONITOR
Australia is defining the packaging trends of the Australasian region, with flexible plastics making up the lion’s share of the local market.
Australia leads the region in packaging
In the Global Packaging Trends: Global Growth Markets for Packaging 2019 report, conducted by Euromonitor and sponsored by APPMA alongside PMMI, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies in the
US, global packaging data from 2017 across 80 countries is used to forecast what the market
will look like up to 2022.
A total of 37 billion units of packaging across
all types was sold in Australasia in 2017, up from 34 billion in 2012 forecast to grow to 40 billion by 2022; this translates to a 1.8 per cent compound annual growth rate. The region’s packaging sector was found to be heavily influenced by Australia, its most populous market.
“As the biggest market in the region, Australia played a crucial role in influencing the packaging trends. The country accounted for over 85 per cent of the total packaging sales in the region in 2017. Australia represents 84 per cent of the total population in Australasia, large enough to alter and shape the packaging landscape of the region,” the report says.
Flexible plastic made up 19.2 per cent of total volume share in 2017, with glass bottles coming in second at 14.5 per cent; it had grown by two per
cent since 2012. Affordability was noted as a key driver of flexible packaging, as well as products where a low level of protection is needed against breakage or spillage.
“Flexible plastic is the primary packaging type
in Australasia, with unit volumes overwhelmingly found in food, especially staples and snacks that do not require a cold chain network. In addition to food, flexible plastic was used in tea, mainly as wrapping material around tea bags.
“In home care, powder and other detergents were common end applications. Small-sized and single-serve products saw growth as consumers sought to apply portion control in their eating habits.”
Food packaging is the single largest application category, representing more than half of the market in 2017, followed by beverages.
“Convenience was key to packaging in baby food, dairy, ready meals and sauces, dressings, and condiments. This led to increased use of thin wall plastic containers and plastic pouches in the region,” the report says.
The report also notes that beer packaging is expected to see robust growth, in line with category growth in the region.
“Glass was the most popular packaging type within beer. Tradition, returnability and premiumisation will be key drivers of glass’s growth in beer in the forecast period.
“Despite this trend, metal cans in beer are also picking up. Due to the growing popularity of craft beer and premium beer, 330 ml pack sizes metal beverage cans are recording strong growth,” it says.
The report also notes sustainability as a rising concern among Australasian consumers.
“Growing concerns over the impact of packaging waste on the environment led to consumers moving towards products packaged in recyclable, reusable and reduced-waste materials.
“In December 2017, the New South Wales government rolled out the Return and Earn program, under which most empty 150-millilitre to three-litre beverage containers including PET, HDPE, glass, aluminium, steel, and liquid paperboard were eligible for a refund of AU$0.10 at approved collection points,” it says.
The full Global Packaging Trends: Global Growth Markets for Packaging 2019 report is available to all APPMA members. Contact the APPMA on appma@ appma.com.au. 
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