Packaging

In 2023, glass jars remained the dominant pack type for chocolate spreads, favoured by leading brands such as Nutella. Glass jars are mainly used for chocolate spreads packaging as they help showcase the product's texture and quality, thereby…

Home cooking is popular among South African consumers, which was helping to drive growth in the use of dry recipe sauces in 2023. While flexible plastic remains the leading pack type in this category, and was also recording growth in its unit volumes…

In 2023, the demand for shelf stable seafood recorded strong growth due to rising prices for fresh seafood as a result of increased transportation costs, prompting more consumers to opt for shelf stable alternatives. Metal food cans are the dominant…

In recent years, the demand for frozen fruit has been increasing as consumers embrace convenient on-the-go consumption trends. In 2023, this trend was notably evident in the increased popularity of frozen fruit packaged in plastic pouches. This pack…

In 2023, brick liquid cartons continued to dominate packaging unit volumes in plant-based dairy products. This is the leading pack type used in plant-based milk, which is the dominant product area in the overall plant-based dairy category. Brick…

Demand for convenience among increasingly time-pressed consumers continued to drive up sales of ready meals in South Africa at the end of the review period, thereby benefitting the dominant packaging type of folding cartons. Demand was being driven…

Brick liquid cartons are widely favoured for packaging flavoured milk and milk-based products in South Africa due to their lightweight and durable nature. These containers offer a convenient solution for both manufacturers and consumers. They are…

Flexible plastic and folding cartons are the main packaging choices for boxed assortments. Flexible plastic offers an excellent barrier against moisture and air, ensuring the chocolates remain fresh and retain their flavour for an extended period.…

The other baby food category continued to record positive growth in South Africa in 2023, boosted by the demand for convenient and nutritious options for infants among parents with busy lifestyles. Brick liquid cartons have been gaining share in this…

PET bottles are the dominant pack type used for soft drinks in South Africa, as they are cost-effective, both in terms of production and transportation. The lightweight nature of the bottles reduces transportation costs, making them a practical…

Flexible aluminium/plastic, which is the dominant pack type used in hot drinks packaging in South Africa, continued to record strong unit volume growth in this industry in 2023. Flexible aluminium/plastic packaging is seen as providing superior…

Sustainability has emerged as a major trend in the packaging industry in South Africa due to a confluence of factors. These include: growing environmental concerns; consumer demand for eco-friendly products; government regulations promoting…

Unlike in many countries, which only saw the closure of foodservice establishments, the sale of alcohol was banned completely in South Africa to help control the spread of the COVID-19 virus in 2020. This meant that, also unlike most other nations,…

Bath and shower products were recording the strongest unit volume growth rates in beauty and personal care packaging in South Africa in 2022, which can be attributed to the increasing hygiene awareness among consumers as well as their changing…

In 2022, the lingering impact of heightened hygiene consciousness due to the pandemic continued to influence the performance of home care categories in South Africa. For example, bleach continued to see positive growth in 2022, even following the…

There was a modest acceleration in the rate of unit volume growth in sauces, dressings and condiments packaging during 2020. With South Africa enforcing one of the strictest lockdowns in the world in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19, many…

Frozen ready meals was the main winner during the pandemic, recording strong double-digit percentage growth in its packaging unit volumes in both 2020 and 2021. This boosted the packaging unit volumes of folding cartons in these years, given it is…