U.S. Plastics in Flexible Food Packaging Markets

This Frost & Sullivan research service titled U.S. Plastics in Flexible Food Packaging Markets provides the market measurements, share of different flexible packages and analysis of share in end-use markets. In this research service, Frost & Sullivan's expert analysts thoroughly examine the following markets/applications/technologies: plastic flexible food bags, thermoformed products, films and wraps, as well as lids and pouches.

Market Sectors

Expert Frost & Sullivan analysts thoroughly examine the following market sectors in this research:

By Application:

- Plastics

- Packaging

By Technologies:

- Flexible Food Packaging

Market Overview

Increasing Shift from Rigid Packaging to Flexible Packaging
Considering their high value for money and better convenience in comparison to other types of food packaging, flexible food packaging has gained preference among end users in the United States. The films used in flexible packaging have good barrier properties as well as tensile strength and the rising cost of aluminum has forced several manufacturers to shift from metal containers to flexible plastic packages. Being lightweight, flexible plastic packages also help reduce transportation costs while occupying less shelf space, thereby allowing end users to display more products on the same shelf.
However, despite the high level of convenience, lower costs (manufacturing and transportation), as well as lesser use of resins, flexible packages still fall short of rigid packaging with regard to filling systems. Rigid package filling is more efficient and almost five times faster when compared to that of flexible packages. Also, current filling lines are dedicated to rigid packaging and many manufacturers are unwilling to dismantle and install new flexible lines until they recover their investments in rigid lines. The flexible package manufacturers need to work closely with equipment manufacturers to come up with packages that increase the speed of filling. With increasing resin prices, the challenge for manufacturers is to develop films that are not only thin, but also have the necessary barrier properties required for the extended shelf life of food products, notes the analyst of this research service. While large manufacturers with long-term contracts with resin manufacturers are less affected by the increase in resin prices, small- and medium-sized companies are being forced to sell their products at competitive prices, thereby reducing their margins.

Technology Advances and Introduction of Stand-up Pouches Aid Growth
Among the many growth factors, the introduction of stand-up pouches is fast developing as a key driver for the growth of the U.S. plastics in flexible food packaging markets. In addition to their being lightweight and offering most of the features of rigid packages, stand-up packages also offer a tremendous advantage in being able to deliver a high degree of product differentiation. With highly attractive flexographic printing, stand-up pouches clearly distinguish themselves on the shelf.
Flexible plastic food packagers are made from mono as well as multi-layered films. While mono-layered films accounted for around 58.0 percent of market share in 2005, the market is seeing the rapid growth of multi-layered films and a decline in the market share of mono-layered products. The share of mono-layered films is declining to the tune of 5-10 percent a year and its dominance is expected to be overtaken by multi-layered films in the next 12-18 months, says the analyst. Among the multi-layered films, the ones with three, five, and seven layers are most used and it was found that three-layered films accounted for 32.0 percent of the market whereas five and seven-layered films accounted for 10.0 percent.

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1. Executive Summary

- 1. Market Overview

- - 1. Introduction

- 2. Key Findings

- - 1. Major Findings

- 2. Introduction

- 1. Introduction and Scope

- - 1. Market Overview

- - 2. Research Scope

- 2. Industry Dynamics

- - 1. Industry Challenges

- - 2. Mergers and Acquisitions

- - 3. Import-Export Analysis

- - 4. Company Profiles

- 3. Total U.S. Flexible Plastic Food Packaging Markets

- 1. Market Overview

- - 1. Introduction

- - 2. Market Engineering Measurement

- 2. Forecasts and Trends

- - 1. Market Drivers---a. Shift from Metal Packaging to Flexible Packaging---b. Shift from Rigid Plastic Containers to Flexible Plastic Packages---c. Technological Advances Drive Flexible Food Packaging---d. Introduction of Stand-up Pouches Aid Growth--- e. Changing Customer Lifestyles Drives Flexible Food Packaging---f. Decrease in Dollar Value Increases Demand for U.S. Products

- - 2. Market Restraints---a. Thinner Gauge Sizes Slow Film Market---b. Multi-layered Films Pose Recycling Problems---c. Mindset of Consumers for Using Flexible Packages

- - 3. Revenue Forecasts

- - 4. Trend Analysis

- - 5. Analysis on Resin Usage

- - 6. Analysis on Resin Properties for Flexible Food Packaging

- - 7. Analysis on Usage of Mono and Multi Layered Films

- - 8. Analysis on Cost of Manufacture of Films for Converting

- - 9. Analysis on Profit Margins

- - 10. Analysis on Recycling--

- 11. Biodegradable Plastics

- 3. Competitive Analysis

- - 1. Competitive Structure

- - 2. Market Share Analysis

- 4. U.S. Flexible Plastic Bags Market

- 1. Market Overview

- - 1. Introduction

- - 2. Market Engineering Measurement

- 2. Forecasts and Trends

- - 1. Market Drivers

- - 2. Market Restraints

- - 3. Revenue Forecasts

- - 4. End-user Analysis

- 5. U.S. Flexible Thermoformed Plastic Products Market- 1. Market Overview

- - 1. Introduction

- - 2. Market Engineering Measurement

- 2. Forecasts and Trends

- - 1. Market Drivers

- - 2. Market Restraints

- - 3. Revenue Forecasts

- - 4. End-user Analysis

- 6. U.S. Flexible Plastic Films and Wraps Market

- 1. Market Overview

- - 1. Introduction

- - 2. Market Engineering Measurement

- 2. Forecasts and Trends

- - 1. Market Drivers

- - 2. Market Restraints

- - 3. Revenue Forecasts

- - 4. End-user Analysis

- 7. U.S. Flexible Plastic Lids Market

- 1. Market Overview

- - 1. Introduction

- - 2. Market Engineering Measurement

- 2. Forecasts and Trends

- - 1. Market Drivers

- - 2. Market Restraints

- - 3. Revenue Forecasts

- - 4. End-user Analysis

- 8. U.S. Flexible Plastic Pouch Market

- 1. Market Overview

- - 1. Introduction

- - 2. Market Engineering Measurement

- 2. Forecasts and Trends

- - 1. Market Drivers

- - 2. Market Restraints

- - 3. Revenue Forecasts

- - 4. End-user Analysis

- 9. Appendix

- 1. Decision Support Database

- - 1. World Consumer Household Expenditure

- - 2. World Expenditure on Food and Beverages

- - 3. U.S. Packaged Food and Beverages Shipments Revenue

- - 4. World Meat Production

- - 5. World Frozen Food Production

- - 6. World Butter Production

- - 7. U.S. Consumer Expenditure on Food and Beverages

- - 8. U.S. Milk Consumption

- - 9. U.S. Single Household

- - 10. US Restaurant Sales Revenue

- - 11. U.S. Nominal GDP Growth Rate

- - 12. U.S. Percapita National Income

- - 13. U.S. Personal Disposable Income

- 2. Glossary of Terms

- - 1. Glossary of Terms

List Of Figures

Chapter 2

- Total Plastics in Flexible Food Packaging Market: Impact of Top Industry Challenges (U.S.), 2006-2012

- Total Plastics in Flexible Food Packaging Market: Prices of LLDPE (U.S.), 2002-2005

Chapter 3

- Total Plastics in Flexible Food Packaging Market: Market Drivers Ranked in Order of Impact (U.S.), 2006-2012

- Total Plastics in Flexible Food Packaging Market: Market Restraints Ranked in Order of Impact (U.S.), 2006-2012

- Total Plastics in Flexible Food Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Total Plastics in Flexible Food Packaging Market: Percent of Revenues by Product Type (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Total Plastics in Flexible Food Packaging Market: Split Among Resin Usage for Flexible Food Packaging (U.S.), 2005

- Total Plastics in Flexible Food Packaging Market: Analysis of Properties of Different Resins (U.S.), 2005

- Total Plastics in Flexible Food Packaging Market: Split between Usage of Different Layers of Film (U.S.), 2005

- Total Plastics in Flexible Food Packaging Market: Split between Different Expenditures Incurred for Manufacturing Film (U.S.), 2005

- Total Plastics in Flexible Food Packaging Market: Margin Ranges of Different Members of the Value Chain (U.S.), 2005

- Total Plastics in Flexible Food Packaging Market: Competitive Structure (U.S.), 2005

- Total Plastics in Flexible Food Packaging Market: Market Share Analysis (U.S.), 2005

Chapter 4

- Flexible Plastic Bags in Food Packaging Market: Market Drivers Ranked in Order of Impact (U.S.), 2006-2012

- Flexible Plastic Bags in Food Packaging Market: Market Restraints Ranked in Order of Impact (U.S.), 2006-2012

- Flexible Plastic Bags in Food Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Bags in Meat Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Bags in Dairy Products Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Bags in Fruits and Vegetables Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Bags in Other Food Products Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Bags in Bakery Food Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Bags in Mill Grains Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Bags in Confectionery Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Bags in Pet Food Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Bags in Sea Food Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

Chapter 5

- Flexible Thermoformed Plastic Products in Food Packaging Market: Market Drivers Ranked in Order of Impact (U.S.), 2006-2012

- Flexible Thermoformed Plastic Products in Food Packaging Market: Market Restraints Ranked in Order of Impact (U.S.), 2006-2012

- Flexible Thermoformed Plastic Products in Food Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Thermoformed Plastic Products in Meat Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Thermoformed Plastic Products in Dairy Products Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Thermoformed Plastic Products in Fruits and Vegetables Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Thermoformed Plastic Products in Other Food Products Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Thermoformed Plastic Products in Bakery Products Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Thermoformed Plastic Products in Confectionery Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Thermoformed Plastic Products in Sea Food Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

Chapter 6

- Flexible Plastic Films and Wraps in Food Packaging Market: Market Drivers Ranked in Order of Impact (U.S.), 2006-2012

- Flexible Plastic Films and Wraps in Food Packaging Market: Market Restraints Ranked in Order of Impact (U.S.), 2006-2012

- Flexible Plastic Films and Wraps in Food Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Films and Wraps in Meat Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Films and Wraps in Dairy Products Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Films and Wraps in Fruits and Vegetables Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Films and Wraps in Other Food Products Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Films and Wraps in Bakery Products Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Films and Wraps in Confectionery Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Films and Wraps in Sea Food Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

Chapter 7

- Flexible Plastic Lids in Food Packaging Market: Market Drivers Ranked in Order of Impact (U.S.), 2006-2012

- Flexible Plastic Lids in Food Packaging Market: Market Restraints Ranked in Order of Impact (U.S.), 2006-2012

- Flexible Plastic Lids in Food Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Lids in Meat Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Lids in Dairy Products Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Lids in Fruits and Vegetables Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Lids in Other Food Products Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Lids in Bakery Products Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Lids in Mill Grains Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Lids in Confectionery Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Lids in Pet Food Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Lids in Sea Food Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

Chapter 8

- Flexible Plastic Pouches in Food Packaging Market: Market Drivers Ranked in Order of Impact (U.S.), 2006-2012

- Flexible Plastic Pouches in Food Packaging Market: Market Restraints Ranked in Order of Impact (U.S.), 2006-2012

- Flexible Plastic Pouches in Food Packaging Market: Unit Shipment and Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Pouches in Meat Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Pouches in Dairy Products Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Pouches in Fruits and Vegetables Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Pouches in Other Food Products Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Pouches in Bakery Products Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Pouches in Mill Grains Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Pouches in Confectionery Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Pouches in Pet Food Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012

- Flexible Plastic Pouches in Seafood Packaging Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2002-2012