North America

Alcoholic drinks packaging declined in the retail channel, increased in the foodservice channel and saw only minimal growth overall in Canada in 2022. While shifting consumer preferences towards premium and craft beverages have been seen in recent…

The continued increase in packaging unit volumes for RTDs in the US, despite the overall decline in the alcoholic drinks packaging industry in this country, is attributed to factors such as convenience and portability, changing consumer preferences…

Stand-up pouches are the most popular pack type in Canadian baby food, including both plastic pouches and aluminium/plastic pouches. They are viewed as offering a modern look, while being lighter and safer than glass, and enabling infants to feed…

Although 2023 was an exception, aluminium/plastic pouches have generally been gaining share in baby food in packaging unit volume terms, with this expected to continue over the forecast period. Aluminium/plastic pouches are particularly widely used…

The growth of skin care packaging in Canada can be attributed to an increasing demand for skin care products as Canadians place a greater emphasis on self-care and wellness. This has led to a greater need for packaging solutions that accommodate the…

Hair care lost its position as the biggest category in unit volume terms in beauty and personal care packaging to bath and shower in 2020, when the latter product area experienced a massive spike in demand due to the pandemic arriving in the US in…

Flexible packaging continues to be the dominant packaging in confectionery, with flexible plastic the main individual pack type thanks to its strong position in chocolate confectionery. Flexible plastic is also the most-used pack type for sugar…

Growing eco awareness across the US is driving consumers to seek out products that provide more sustainable end-of-cycle outcomes for packaging and the reduction of plastic waste generation. In turn, packaging players are responding to this demand by…

In 2023, the pack type share of HDPE bottles continued to increase for goat milk packaging. HDPE is a food-safe plastic that does not leach harmful chemicals into the products it holds. This helps maintain the freshness and quality of dairy products…

In 2023, yoghurt remained the largest dairy category in the US in terms of packaging unit volume sales. Prominent players in yoghurt, such as Chobani, are turning to packaging to sustain consumer interest and set themselves apart from the…

Volume sales of home care wipes and surface care products were declining over 2022, leading to a fall in the packaging unit volume sales of the main pack types in these categories, flexible plastic and other rigid containers for the former and HDPE…

The retail unit volumes of HDPE bottles continued to hold the biggest share in overall home care products in 2022. The preference for HDPE bottles can be attributed to their practicality and user-friendliness in dispensing home care products. These…

Thin wall plastic containers were the leading pack type in coffee packaging in 2023, and are expected to record growth in this category over the forecast period. This trend is attributed to the prevalence of fresh ground coffee pods in Canada, with…

Single-serve fresh ground coffee pods that are compostable are gaining significant traction in the US hot drinks market, championed by brands like Bugle Call Coffee and San Francisco Bay Coffee. Bugle Call Coffee offers convenient and compostable…

Due to factors like recyclability and functional design, folding cartons continue to gain pack type share in frozen ready meals in Canada, having already become the most popular packaging format in the category over the review period, just ahead of…

Chilled ready meals are largely regarded as a convenience food as they contain prepared meals that require only heating before consumption. These meals are primarily packaged in specific ready meal containers, which are typically microwave-safe…

In 2022, packaging in Canada was consumer-centric, with their lifestyles and demands shaping the packaging industry. Sustainability was the key concern driving packaging innovation in Canada in 2022. The Canadian government released its Single-Use…

In 2022, the US saw a significant rise in the demand for convenient packaging solutions, reflecting evolving consumer lifestyles and preferences. This trend was catalysed by a multitude of factors, including the busy, on-the-go nature of modern life.…

While brick liquid cartons and gable top liquid cartons are still the biggest pack types in the category in unit volume terms, shaped liquid cartons are seeing strong growth and gaining share in the packaging of plant-based milk in Canada. Shaped…

Plant-based yoghurt, following in the footsteps of the popularity of plant-based milk, is increasingly growing in the US from a niche to a mainstream product, attracting a growing eco- and health-conscious consumer base. Awareness around the growing…