United States Trash Bags - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts 2019 - 2029

The United States Trash Bags Market size is estimated at USD 2.87 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 3.45 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 3.69% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

Trash bags, typically made of polyethylene, are tough, light, and hold garbage securely without leakage or spillover. Thus, they are adopted across various residential, commercial, and industrial end-user industries.

Key Highlights

• Increasing consumer demand for eco-friendly and easy-to-dispose trash bags is expected to boost market growth. Awareness of environmentally friendly products is expected to boost the demand for disposable garbage bags. Individuals' growing attention to cleanliness and hygiene has increased the need for trash bags.
• The increase in housing facilities in the country encourages the consumption of garbage bins in the home and, thus, trash bags. Also, trash bags have become more popular in places like hospitals and dorms because they are easy to find and cheap to buy in stores.
• The purchasing power of consumers has increased the demand for convenient, odor-resistant, and cost-effective trash bags for collecting garbage, intentionally increasing the market size of trash bags. The growing number of people living in cities creates a large need for garbage bags. This need, along with demand from businesses and households, will likely drive the garbage bag market forward over the next few years.
• However, governments and related regulatory bodies are imposing bans on plastics to reduce the plastic footprint. The resulting prohibition of plastic usage may drastically affect the trash bag market. The bans on plastic trash bags allow manufacturers to develop biodegradable or recyclable trash bags that enable them to support their business activities, thereby boosting the market's growth.
• The COVID-19 outbreak had minimal and short-term impacts on trash bag manufacturers. Supply chain disruptions, a lack of availability of raw materials used in the manufacturing process, labor shortages, and fluctuating prices are some of the consequences of lockdowns. Also, in the earlier phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for trash bags peaked due to the unavailability of PPE kits. Moreover, the Russia-Ukraine war has an impact on the overall packaging and bag market.

US Trash Bags Market Trends

Residential Sector Holds the Largest Market Share

• The residential sector of the U.S. trash bag market generates a significant amount of waste. Therefore, the penetration of trash bags is substantial in the consumer segment. The players operating in the market are focusing on innovative product development for domestic waste management, which further boosts the segment's growth.
• Biodegradable plastics are being promoted as a solution to plastic pollution. In November 2021, scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, baffled the plastics industry and environmentalists by discovering a way to break down these compostable plastics in a matter of weeks using only heat and water. In the new process, polyester-eating enzymes are embedded directly into the plastic during manufacturing. Such innovations would leverage the market for biodegradable bags in the country.
• Also, non-durable items like clothes and newspapers make up another 20% of U.S. trash. Yard trimmings (13.3% of trash) and food and other organic materials (14.9% of trash) also make up a large amount of trash (source: Columbia University study).
• According to the United States Census Bureau's Vintage 2022 national and state population estimates, the U.S. resident population increased by 0.4% in 2022. Moreover, the country's international migration and the number of people moving in and out of the country were the primary drivers of growth, representing 168.8% growth over 2021, indicating that migration patterns are returning to pre-pandemic levels.
• During COVID-19, government authorities were regulating new policies to increase households' safety. For instance, the City of Kingston increased the number of garbage bags allowed per household from one to four per week without requiring bag tags. This measure was implemented to help self-isolating families dispose of their garbage safely.

Commercial Sector to Exhibit the Highest Growth Rate

• Retail, convenience stores, healthcare, food service, hospitality, and office buildings are critical establishments within the commercial industry that constitute a significant market share.
• According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, improper handling of discarded needles and other sharps can pose health risks to the public. Discarded needles, for instance, expose disposal workers to potential needlestick injuries and infections when garbage bags are broken open or when needles are inadvertently sent to a recycling facility. Therefore, there is increased demand for trash bags in the healthcare sector.
• About 30% of the food in American grocery stores is thrown away. The US retail sector generates about 16 billion pounds of food waste annually. Wasted food from the retail sector is valued at about twice the profit from food sales (source: US Department of Agriculture).
• Recently, organizations have become more conscious of managing and reducing their waste. Although some organizations are satisfied with having a trash removal or disposal system, the more proactive organizations are putting more effort into managing their waste. Some examples of standard office building waste products include litter, paper, and electronic goods. Office supplies, such as staplers, pens, and glue sticks, are tossed in the trash and sent to the landfill.
• The increasing number of websites offering a variety of disposable bin liners has increased the demand for these products. In addition, online retailing of disposable garbage bags and various other products is growing in popularity as it is cost-effective and time-saving in purchasing products. Online sales are estimated to drive the growth of disposable trash bags during the forecast period.
• For commercial establishments, including multi-family dwellings of four or more units and non-residential commercial buildings, the use of clear plastic sheeting for collecting recyclables in trash bins is permitted. These plastic liners are not recyclable per se but are now accepted for convenience in commercial operations. Commercial establishments are not prohibited from using clear trash bags, but recyclers may choose not to accept them.
• The United States spends more on healthcare than any other country, with costs approaching 18% of the GDP. Prior studies estimated that approximately 30% of healthcare spending might be considered waste. Despite efforts to reduce overtreatment, improve care, and address overpayment, substantial waste in US healthcare spending likely remains (source: Journal of the American Medical Association). Biohazard waste goes in red bags and containers, whereas infectious waste is generally kept in plastic bags. Such factors contribute to the significant demand for trash bags.

US Trash Bags Industry Overview

The United States Trash Bag market is moderately competitive with the presence of some major players such as Berry Global Inc., Hefty (Reynolds Consumer Products LLC), Inteplast Group, Novolex, Riverside Paper Co., and more. The players in the market are concentrating on expanding their reach with strategic initiatives such as mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, capacity expansion, and product innovation.

In September 2022, Novolex, one of the leaders in packaging choice, innovation, and sustainability, announced it had invested USD 10 million to expand its capacity to recycle plastic bags and another polyethylene film at its recycling facility in North Vernon, Indiana. The plant is one of two world-class film recycling facilities operated by the company.

In May 2022, Berry Global's refuse sack business will launch a new range of high-strength refuse sacks. The Ruffies name is already an established Berry Global brand in the US and is now being expanded into the UK market. The company aims to increase the quantity of non-packaging agricultural plastics collected from 30% to over 70% within five years, thereby reducing the amount going to landfills or being burned on farmland.

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• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
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