Food Containers Market By Product Type (Jars, Bottles, Cans, Cups, Pouches, Boxes, Trays, Bowls, Lids and Closures), By Application (Dairy Products, Bakery and Confectionery, Fruits and Vegetables, Meat, Fish, and Poultry, Beverages, Ready-to-Eat Meals, Frozen Foods, Sauces, Pet Food, Others), By Material (Plastic, Glass, Metal, Paperboard, Biodegradable Materials), By Usage (Single-Use, Reusable), By Shape (Round, Rectangular, Square, Oval), and By End-user (Residential, Commercial {Restaurants, Food Delivery Services, Catering Services, Others}), Global Market Size, Segmental analysis, Regional Overview, Company share analysis, Leading Company Profiles And Market Forecast, 2025 – 2035

Industry Outlook

The Food Containers market accounted for USD 188.7 Billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 311.1 Billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of around 4.65% between 2025 and 2035. The food containers market is a way to describe an industry that deals with producing and selling all types of containers used for food storage and transport. Containers can be made from various materials, such as plastic, glass, metal, paper, paperboard, and biodegradable options.

These containers are designed for both disposable and reusable markets. Products range from jars, bottles, cans, trays, and pouches for different uses in the dairy, bakery, beverages, frozen food sectors, and even pet food. Thus, some key drivers of the market are convenience, sustainable packaging, food safety, mouthwatering packaging techniques, and the smart package. This market is still experiencing exponential growth due to advanced digital technology. 

Report Scope:

Market Dynamics

Rising Demand for On-the-Go and Ready-to-Eat Foods Drives Growth in Food Container Market

One of the biggest trends affecting the food container market today is the rising consumption of convenience foods that consumers can eat while on the move or immediately after opening. With the continuously rising trend in global life paralysis and urbanization, the consumer looks forward to hassle-free meals that, at the same time, are fresh and healthy. Pouches, trays, and boxes are important in containing ready-to-eat products by not only promoting portability but also carrying out the function of preserving such foods. People within the working professions and learners are customers of most of these products since they embraced convenience. According to a report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), global consumption of ready-to-eat foods increased by over 20% between 2019 and 2023, contributing to the growth of the food containers market.

Growing Awareness of Food Safety Boosts Demand for Airtight and High-Quality Food Containers

The increased awareness of food hygiene is a factor that is greatly increasing the need for properly sealed and high-quality containers for food. In specific, the population pays much attention to food contamination, spoilage, and hygiene, driving the demand for more effective packaging materials. Refrigerated and airtight containers are very important in extending shelf life and checking bacterial growth and invasive contaminants. In this context, using food-grade plastics, glass, and metal to manufacture containers and necessary equipment ensures food safety while preserving the taste and nutrients of the food. 

This is driving the demand, especially given that food safety legislation being implemented in various countries focuses on the right packaging required to avoid these diseases. Moreover, growth in the awareness of a healthy lifestyle and an increase in online food delivery services have mainly exhibited an emphasis on essential food container packaging solutions, thereby solidifying this factor as a driving force in the food container market.

Environmental Concerns and Plastic Regulations Pose Challenges to Food Container Market Growth

Various environmental factors, particularly regulations on plastic products, significantly impact the success of the food container market. Plastic pollution has captured widespread attention, leading many nations to implement stricter rules and outright bans on single-use plastics. All countries are now introducing measures to manage plastic waste, and this makes firms search for better materials to use in packaging food. It tends to be expensive for manufacturers to embrace sustainable initiatives such as a switch to biodegradable material or recyclable plastics.

Furthermore, it is important to note that these alternative materials may be available in a more limited supply, or they may not be as cost-effective and efficient in performance. Thus, the food containers market becomes a complex task for manufacturers as consumers today are searching for sustainable packaging products.

Smart Packaging Solutions Enhance Food Safety and Traceability, Driving Market Growth

Smart packaging solutions are experiencing rapid growth and are a seemingly untapped opportunity in the food containers market as they promise to improve food safety. Introducing the use of technologies like sensors, RFID tags, and QR codes, smart packaging makes it possible to monitor the state of foods, including the temperature, humidity, and freshness in real time. This innovation encompasses all techniques aimed at ensuring safe and high-quality food chains from producers to consumers or end users. Smart packaging is superior in terms of the traceability of foods, which can help the consumer or the manufacturer to know the history of the food product, especially in case of a recall process. This trend is Propelled by the growing consumer demand for more informed and secure food choices available in the market. Therefore, the current development in e-commerce and food delivery services is driving an increasing demand for smart packaging solutions, significantly benefiting the food container market.

Health-Conscious Consumers Drive Demand for BPA-Free and Airtight Food Containers

Growing awareness of health concerns has led many individuals to choose products made from BPA-free materials with secure lids to contain food and prevent contamination. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical widely used in plastic containers and pots, and now, due to increased awareness of its dangers, including disruption of hormones and being responsible for the outbreak of several diseases among people, many consumers are avoiding them. Due to these factors, food container manufacturers are focusing on producing BPA-free containers made from safer materials like glass and other types of plastics.

Further airtight containers are becoming increasingly popular because they keep food fresh, prevent contamination from bacteria, viruses, and insects, and extend the shelf life of products, meeting consumer demand for healthy & durable food storage solutions. This shift is bolstered by trends in biodegradable packaging products since most of the conscious population cares about their health and the environment and would therefore avoid products packaged in toxic materials. Changes in trends and the shift of consumers to health-conscious products will positively influence the food container market.

Industry Experts Opinion

"Tupperware is considered the inventor of the party selling model and made no-leak food conservation products famous. Over the last year, we created a new strategy and operating approach that is digital-first, technology-led and asset-light, and preserved a global footprint for the Company."

• Laurie Ann Goldman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tupperware

"We are excited to bring Loop's brand partners, like Tim Hortons, the opportunity to access and leverage our rich heritage in reusability to help bring more consumers into the fold on what it means to reduce their single-use footprint."

• Hector Lezama, President of Commercial Business Expansion at Tupperware

Segment Analysis

Based on the product type, the food containers market has been classified into Jars, Bottles, Cans, Cups, Pouches, Boxes, Trays, Bowls, Lids and Closures. When categorizing the food container market by product types, bottles represent the most important segment. This is mainly because bottles are extensively used in the packaging of products such as water, juices, soft drinks, and milk. Bottles are preferred because they guarantee the accomplishment of an airtight and leakproof seal, hence contributing to shelf stability. However, the high demand for bottled beverages, especially in regions with elevated consumption rates, contributes to the expansion of this segment. New trends in bottle types, including the use of environment-friendly and reusable materials, expound the market growth of bottles when used in the food container industry.

Based on the application, the food containers market has been classified into Dairy Products, Bakery and Confectionery, Fruits and Vegetables, Meat, Fish, and Poultry, Beverages, Ready-to-Eat Meals, Frozen Foods, Sauces, Pet Food, Others. The Beverages segment holds the largest share of the Food Containers Market since there is a rising need for packaging for water, soft drinks, juices, and dairy products.

Bottles are the most preferred containers in this segment owing to their ability to preserve the liquid's freshness, protect against contaminants, and be easy to use by consumers. Being the most popular category of drinks that are being consumed in the rising bottled beverages market, this segment shall continue to lead. The shift in consumer preferences towards healthy and sustainable packaging materials, along with the rise of health-conscious beverages, drives the growth of this segment in the food containers market.

Regional Analysis 

North America is presently recognized as the biggest global food container market because of consumer's appetite for easy ways to access food and other products in the area and new styles of packaging. The increase in consumption of convenience foods, home delivery food systems, and consumer concern regarding food preservation and safety have created a constant demand for better and quality packaging. However, the U.S. and Canada, being two of the most progressive nations in sustainable packaging, have a great demand for such solutions from both governments and consumers.

Tupperware, Amcor, and Berry Global, plus other preeminent players, are focusing actively on the research and development of recyclable and reusable packaging products. Plugged into the heels of this trend, e-commerce platforms and online food ordering services have extended the growth rate of this market in North America. Advancements in smart packaging technology and growing concerns about food safety are expected to drive a continuous increase in the global market share of the food container market in North America in the coming years.

The Asia Pacific region is the fastest-growing food container market globally. This growth is driven by factors such as a rapidly increasing population, rising affluence, urbanization, and busy lifestyles, all of this boost the demand for ready-to-eat foods and their packaging materials. The emerging middle-income population and changing eating habits towards ready-to-eat foods make the Asia-Pacific region, particularly China, India, and Japan, favored markets for food containers.

Furthermore, the emergence of e-commerce and food delivery applicants, such as China and India, is speeding up the sales of food containers. The market is experiencing a change of trend towards more sustainable packaging, and more businesses are adopting packaging that is environmentally friendly and recyclable. Sistema Plastics and Amcor are among the investors interested in increasing their capacity in the area that offers various solutions for traditional food packaging and new-generation food packaging. There is a growing demand for food safety and preservation, which is significantly strengthening the Asia Pacific region's position as a key player in the food container market.

Competitive Landscape

Wider market players in the food containers market are Tupperware Brands Corporation, Lock & Lock Co., Ltd., Sistema Plastics, Amcor Limited, Berry Global, Inc., and Ball Corporation. These firms are always striving to satisfy the customer needs and wants, the convenience, sustainability, and safety of foods. For example, a company that sells plastic products like Tupperware is enhancing its range of reusable items by incorporating environmentally friendly materials. Meanwhile, Amcor has developed various recyclable packaging solutions.

Besides, Lock & Lock has been developing a better airtight container feature to ensure food quality remains fresh. New trends, including the shift to BPA-free packaging and smart packaging, have put pressure on many firms to innovate and incorporate sustainable, high-technology packaging for their products as a way of meeting the demands of the growing number of health-conscious and environmentally sensitive consumers. These strategies, combined with more established partnerships and acquisitions, are key to growth in this fast-growing market.

Food Containers Market, Company Shares Analysis, 2024

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Recent Developments:

• In October 2024, Tupperware Brands Corporation entered a preliminary agreement with a group of secured lenders, including Stonehill Capital Management Partners and Alden Global Capital, to restructure the company. The restructuring aims to establish "The New Tupperware Company," embracing a start-up mindset. This transformation will leverage agile methodologies and iterative development across dynamic phases to enhance operational adaptability and responsiveness.
• In June 2024, Sonoco Products Company announced the acquisition of Eviosys, a globally recognized provider of innovative and sustainable metal packaging solutions for the food, consumer goods, and promotional industries. Acquired from KPS Capital Partners for approximately USD 3.9 billion, this strategic move aligns with Sonoco's focus on strengthening its core business areas and advancing high-return growth opportunities through organic initiatives and strategic mergers and acquisitions.

Report Coverage:

By Product Type

• Jars
• Bottles
• Cans
• Cups
• Pouches
• Boxes
• Trays
• Bowls
• Lids and Closures

By Application

• Dairy Products
• Bakery and Confectionery
• Fruits and Vegetables
• Meat, Fish, and Poultry
• Beverages
• Ready-to-Eat Meals
• Frozen Foods
• Sauces
• Pet Food
• Others

By Material

• Plastic
• Glass
• Metal
• Paperboard
• Biodegradable Materials

By Usage

• Single-Use
• Reusable

By Shape

• Round
• Rectangular
• Square
• Oval

By End-user

• Residential
• Commercial
  • Restaurants
  • Food Delivery Services
  • Catering Services
  • Others

By Region

North America

• U.S.
• Canada

Europe

• U.K.
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Spain
• Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

• China
• Japan
• India
• Australia
• South Korea
• Singapore
• Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

• Brazil
• Argentina
• Mexico
• Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

• GCC Countries
• South Africa
• Rest of the Middle East & Africa

List of Companies:

• Tupperware Brands Corporation
• Lock & Lock Co., Ltd.
• Rubbermaid Commercial Products
• Amcor Limited
• Ball Corporation
• Oxo International
• Berry Global, Inc.
• Ziploc
• Newell Brands
• Sistema Plastics
• Ardagh Group
• Schneider Packaging Equipment Company, Inc.
• Sealed Air Corporation
• S. C. Johnson Professional
• Wabash National Corporation

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)