Paperboard Packaging Market Report 2026

The paperboard packaging market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $221.76 billion in 2025 to $238.37 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth of packaged food consumption, expansion of retail and e-commerce packaging needs, increasing availability of recycled paperboard, rising consumer preference for paper-based packaging, advancements in paper coating technologies.

The paperboard packaging market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $319.79 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.6%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing shift away from plastic packaging, rising investments in sustainable packaging innovation, expansion of food and beverage packaging demand, growing regulatory pressure on single-use plastics, increasing use of premium paperboard packaging. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing adoption of recyclable paperboard solutions, rising demand for lightweight and high-strength cartons, growing use of coated and barrier paperboards, expansion of customizable and printed packaging, enhanced focus on sustainable raw materials.

The expansion of the e-commerce industry is expected to drive the growth of the paperboard packaging market in the coming years. E-commerce involves the online buying and selling of goods and services. As e-commerce continues to grow, increasing attention to reducing environmental impact has made paperboard a preferred packaging option because of its renewable and biodegradable characteristics, which align with rising demand for sustainable packaging solutions. For example, in November 2023, according to the International Trade Administration, a US-based government agency, e-commerce revenues in the UK are projected to grow at an average annual rate of 12.6% through 2025. Consumer e-commerce currently accounts for 36.3% of the UK’s total retail sector, with revenue expected to reach $285.6 billion by that year. Therefore, the growing e-commerce industry is driving the expansion of the paperboard packaging market.

Major companies operating in the paperboard packaging market are focusing on developing innovative products, such as coated recycled paperboard, to improve sustainability and address increasing consumer demand for eco-friendly packaging solutions. Coated recycled paperboard is produced from recycled fibers and treated with a polymer or clay coating to enhance surface strength, smoothness, and printability, making it suitable for packaging applications across food and consumer goods sectors. For instance, in August 2023, Graphic Packaging International, Inc., a US-based paperboard manufacturer, launched PaceSetter Rainier, a coated recycled paperboard that combines the performance characteristics of solid bleached sulfate with recycled content. This product offers improved brightness, whiteness, and surface smoothness, making it competitive with traditional SBS while supporting sustainability goals. Designed for applications such as healthcare, beauty, confectionery, and dairy packaging, PaceSetter Rainier reflects the company’s commitment to environmentally responsible materials. Graphic Packaging has invested approximately $1.7 billion in coated recycled paperboard projects in the United States to expand capacity and capabilities in response to consumer preference for recycled and sustainable packaging.

In June 2024, Green Bay Packaging, a US-based pulp and paper company, acquired SMC Packaging Group for an undisclosed amount. Through this acquisition, Green Bay Packaging aims to broaden its geographic reach, strengthen operational capabilities, and enhance its paperboard packaging portfolio while maintaining a strong focus on employee welfare and community engagement. SMC Packaging Group is a US-based company specializing in sustainable paperboard packaging solutions for a range of end-use industries.

Major companies operating in the paperboard packaging market are WestRock Company, The International Paper Company, Smurfit Kappa Group plc, Georgia Pacific LLC, Amcor Ltd., Oji Holdings Corporation, Stora Enso Oyj, DS Smith plc, Mondi plc, Graphic Packaging International LLC, Packaging Corporation of America, Sappi Limited, Sonoco Products Company, Rengo Co Ltd., Evergreen Packaging Inc., Huhtamaki Oyj, BillerudKorsnas AB, Cascades Inc., Metsa Board Corporation, Clearwater Paper Corporation, Nippon Paper Industries Co Ltd.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the paperboard packaging market in 2025. North America is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the paperboard packaging market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the paperboard packaging market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The paperboard packaging market consists of sales of packaging solutions that are recyclable, biodegradable, reduce waste production, reduce environmental pollution, and the simplicity with which items can display their distinctive packaging and visuals to convey a brand's story, as well as their better product protection and stickability. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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