Global Airless Packaging Market Size & Growth Trends Analysis Report

In recent years, consumers demanded multiple personal care products with more appealing and long lasting preservation. With airless packaging, no oxidation or contamination takes place, thereby making it difficult for creams, serums, or any other formulations to expire quickly. Moreover, with the growing concern over the environment, sustainable packaging is in heavy demand. Consequently, the key players in the market are now using an airless packaging structure to ensure the safety of the products while promising to go green.

Both new materials introduced to the system and innovations of design elements allow airless systems to improve their effectiveness and efficiency at a better cost. The advanced technology developed has fixed the dispense systems and even improved the barrier effect characteristics. The market is also propelled by the increasing need for products with a longer shelf life. The need for quality and aesthetic value in terms of packaging has increased as most customers use products that have a long shelf life. Other industries, such as the one dealing with foods and medicines, require good quality and safe products and are also inclined towards airless packaging. Airless packaging is comprehensive as the amount of air and possible contamination that gets in contact with the contents is minimal, keeping the product active and safe for the user.

The packaging regulations also require companies to include an airless packaging system. In the recent past, many regulations have been imposed regarding the safety of health care products, and even those that concern the transportation in packaging of pharmaceutical, consumable, and edible and non-edible substances have made companies to embrace airless technology to maintain a controlled clean environment and sealed products. The airless packaging market is primarily driven by government regulations that promote sustainability, safety, and innovation. Numerous countries have already developed and implemented new strict environmental regulations to combat plastic pollution, hence, the need for environmentally safe packaging has increased. Airless packaging is usually made of recyclable or biodegradable materials and therefore complies with these requirements by using less packaging without the use of conventional aerosol or pump packs, enhancing mark preservation instead of wasting it.

Many public authorities also exist for health reasons, which has led to greater developments in airless packaging as well. Airless packaging is preferred as this type of packaging creates a barrier against air and bacteria, providing a clean space that is free from possible contaminations, which is essential in the cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and even food industries. In Europe, for instance, the European Commission’s plastic waste policies, such as the EU Plastics Strategy, are geared towards promoting the use of alternatives to plastics, and such regimes are also being developed in other countries. In addition, regulations in the U.S., Japan, and other countries have been put in place that require the functionality of the packaging materials as well as safety concerns, which in turn encourages the industries to come up with airless technologies that satisfy such requirements. In this regard, the regulatory environment is supportive of the provision of airless packaging as a safer and eco-friendly means of packaging devoid of the traditional packaging modes.

The expansion of the e-commerce industry goes hand in hand with the demand for packaging that is both safe and can withstand rough handling. Of all the e-commerce industries, online package retailing appears to be the most crucial as it involves transporting the package for quite a distance without damaging the quality of the goods packed inside. As a result, there is an increasing demand for dependable packaging systems as more consumers switch to online purchasing.

However, compatibility is one of the major challenges in this market as not all products are compatible with airless packaging. Some formulas of the product need special packaging, and hence, it is not suitable for them to use airless packaging. The materials used in airless packaging might react with the product, making it difficult for the company to use this type of packaging. The cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and food industries have various types of products that can not be contained in airless packaging due to their shape, size, or dispensing mechanisms. The high costs also hinder the growth of this market as there are fluctuations in the price of raw materials needed to produce the airless packaging. A high production cost is also involved in procuring the technology needed to produce airless packaging.

Market Opportunities

Some major opportunities in the global airless packaging industry are innovative designs and alternatives of plastic packaging. The features of innovative packaging designs include user-friendly product design that helps in enhancing the experience of consumers like pump mechanisms in cosmetic products, which will help in dispensing the right amount of product. The multi-function designs allow the brands to incorporate features like refillable products, applicators with the packaging itself, and more. The cosmetic brands have come up with eye-creams with airless packaging and an in-built applicator that allows the consumers to massage their under-eye while applying the cream. Innovative designs also include aesthetic appeal for brands to create a distinctive design for their product and also allow them to customise the product packaging. Airless packaging also helps in achieving the green goals of the companies as it is an alternative to plastic packaging. Airless packaging uses biodegradable materials or compostable materials. This market has also now started to use glass and metal materials to make it more sustainable.

Technological Advancements

One of the major advancements is the advanced dispensing system, which allows the consumer of a product to dispense the exact amount of product needed and ensure that there is a minimum amount of wastage of the product. Now, pumps also have a feature in which you can input the amount of product you need, and it will automatically be dispensed with a single drop of waste. The advanced dispensing systems have an option to refill products, further eliminating the frequent need to buy the packaging and reducing plastic waste. Similarly, barrier technology enhances the protection of the products as this technology protects the products from factors like moisture, oxygen, and UV light, which diminish the quality of the product. Serums, especially Vitamin C serums, need a high amount of barrier from UV light, or it will affect the quality of the serum. This technology comes in use in the case of products such as serums. With the help of barrier technology, companies can also extend the shelf life of their products, as the environmental factors can not destroy the effectiveness of the product through airless packaging. The barrier technology also includes material innovations like lightweight and eco-friendly packaging.

Impact of COVID-19

The supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted almost every industry, including the airless packaging industry. The cost of raw materials was frequently fluctuating, thereby increasing the cost of production. Materials, labour, and other production-related things were not easily available, which resulted in a delay in production and a high cost of airless packaging. The focus of consumers shifted from convenience to essential products. As a large population around the globe lost their jobs and had to survive on their savings, they focused on essential items like food and healthcare products and were not likely to purchase airless packaging. This hindered the growth of the airless packaging market.

However, when the pandemic hit the world, the focus of people shifted towards improving their hygiene as COVID-19 spread the most through unhygienic practices. Airless packaging provided consumers with untouched products, and hence, they opted to buy products with airless packaging. Airless packaging also reduces contamination of the product as this packaging would not allow the product to be exposed to air. In general, COVID-19 helped the e-commerce industry boom as well. With people getting locked inside their houses and in danger to shop outside, they shifted towards e-commerce for their convenience and hygiene purposes. Airless packaging is durable and protects the product from getting damaged during transportation, and hence, it has become a popular option for e-commerce.

Segmentation

The global airless packaging market is segmented into packaging type, dispenser type, material, and application. By packaging type, the market is segmented into bottles, jars, and tubes. The bottle segment holds the largest market share of the global airless packaging market due to the expansive applicability of such items across industries, especially in cosmetic and personal care. The airless bottles are designed to restrict air exposure and thus offer superior product preservation, which is very important in any high-end lotion, serum, cream, and moisture product. Owing to their small, elegant design, airless bottle systems are very appealing to both high and low-end consumers.

The jar segment is expected to have the highest growth rate during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the surging popularity of airless jars in the skincare and cosmetic sectors for their nourishing creams, ointments, gels, etc., as such airless jars offer the utmost protection. As opposed to the bottles, jars are more suitable for thicker formulations, and this forms the basis for their modern construction, which is attractive as well as purposeful. As consumers value convenience and cleanliness more, airless jars that will help avoid contamination and ensure a longer shelf life will be in demand in the future, especially for premium skincare and pharmaceutical-grade products.

By dispenser type, the market is segmented into pump, dropper, and twist & clicks. The pump segment holds the largest market share of the global airless packaging market, owing to its ease of use and functionality. Pumps are a simple, hygienic way to dispense products, which is very important in industries like cosmetics and medicine. The pump mechanism in airless packing does not allow air to seep in contact with the product, thus safeguarding the product and minimising contamination, which is important for sensitive products like lotion, serum, or medicine.

The twist and click segment is expected to have the highest growth rate during the forecast period. The twist-and-click dispensers are becoming heavily popular around the beauty and pharmaceutical markets as these types of dispensers help to ensure that the product is dispensed only when intended to. Such a mode of application helps to solve the problem of leakage prevention and alphabets or similar types of products being dispensed without purpose. The twist-and-turn style dispensers have a unique and clever design that helps to prevent airless pump logic from benefiting in any way other than for practicality for the product itself, which helps exude quality and class to the right target customers.

By material, the market is segmented into plastic, glass, and metal. The plastic segment holds the largest market share of the global airless packaging market due to its handy, low-cost, and flexible design. The primary applications of plastic airless packaging are within mass and premium market segments, as distribution is easy and any shape or size can be achieved. Furthermore, plastic materials such as PET and PP work very well with airless systems, allowing the preservation of product quality without losing ease of use.

The glass segment is expected to have the highest growth rate during the forecast period. Glass is a remarkable material, especially for premium cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, due to its classy nature, inertness and beauty. As the trend of using green solutions becomes more pervasive among consumers, there has been increasing demand for airless packaging with glass, which is sustainable due to reuse. This is made possible as glass can store a high-end product without causing degradation to the content. Moreover, glass airless package solutions are in line with the consumer trends of preferring good quality but environmentally friendly products, which will see its market grow within a few years.

By application, the market is further bifurcated into cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, and household products. The cosmetics segment holds the largest market share of the global airless packaging market. Airless packaging contributes to adding to the shelf life of cosmetic emulsions by preventing the chances of the above factors, especially for costlier products like serums, lotions, and anti-aging creams. However, in the cosmetics industry, airless packaging solutions turn out to be the effective and eco-friendly measures in developing product safety and effectiveness, which are highly and increasingly sought by the users.

The pharmaceutical segment is expected to have the highest growth rate during the forecast period. This is also due to the higher growth rate of the segment as a result of the adoption of airless dispensers for more sensitive pharmaceutical products like creams, ointments, and vaccines. For pharmaceuticals, airless packaging not only helps protect the product but also makes it easier to use, thus minimising the risks of delivering the medication in the wrong content. The healthcare sector places more concern on safety and hygiene, thereby raising the rate of commercialization of airless packing in the pharmaceutical market.

Regional Analysis

North America holds the largest market share due to the major contributions by the U.S. and Canada. The demand by consumers in this region for sustainable packaging is increasing due to environmental awareness. The market of North America is also driven by technological advancements and materials involved in the airless packaging process. The cosmetics and personal care industry is booming in the U.S. and Canada, leading to rising demand for airless packaging in this industry. North America has strong regulations for sustainable packaging, and this region has also seen demand for premium products that require airless packaging, further driving the growth of this market in the region.

Europehas a significant market share driven by countries such as Germany, France, Italy, the UK, and Spain due to consumers having environmental awareness and their goal to reduce plastic waste. Countries such as France and Germany are witnessing a demand for premium cosmetics, pharmaceutical products, and skincare, which requires the use of airless packaging for the protection of product quality. Europe also has stringent regulations on waste created due to packaging, and hence, consumers are focusing on sustainable packaging, further driving the airless packaging market.

The Asia Pacific region is expected to have the highest growth rate during the forecast period primarily due to rising disposable income and expansion of the middle-class population. China, India, and Indonesia are some of the countries that are leading the growth of this market. Countries such as Japan, South Korea, and China have consumers that are creating demand for premium beauty and personal care products. These products require airless packaging to ensure better quality, longer shelf life, and efficacy. Many countries in the Asia Pacific region are witnessing growth in the e-commerce sector, and this sector requires airless packaging for protecting the product from breaking while in transit. Environmental awareness, preference for sustainable packaging solutions, and technological advancements are also some of the growth factors in this region.

Latin America has low to moderate market share driven by Brazil and Argentina due to rising awareness of environmental concerns. The beauty and personal care industry is on the rise, especially in Brazil, and this industry relies highly on airless packaging. As this region is becoming aware of the environment, there is a demand for sustainable packaging solutions like airless packaging.

The Middle-East and Africa region has a low market share but is driven by countries such as the UAE, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt due to growing demand for personal care and beauty products as a result of rising disposable income. Airless packaging enhances the shelf life, quality, and efficacy of beauty and personal care products, and hence, it is highly used in this sector. Factors like environmental initiatives, infrastructure, and retail growth also drive the growth of this market.

Competitive Analysis

The key players in the global airless packaging market are Fusion PKG, Albea S.A., HCP Packaging, Lumson SPA, Aptar Group Inc., Quadpack Industries, Silgan Holdings Inc., Sonoco Products Company, APC Packaging, and PrimePac, among others.

In March 2024, Aptar Beauty’s Micro rPET Airless Solution packaging was selected by SVR for their skincare product called Palpebral Baume. The capacity of this packaging is 30 ml and is recycled as well as recyclable.

In March 2024, APC Packaging launched EAPP EcoReady All Plastic Airless Pump for skincare products. This packaging is made from durable plastic materials.

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The global airless packaging market is segmented as follows:

By Packaging Type (Revenue: USD Billion, 2019 – 2031)
●    Bottle
●    Jar
●    Tube

By Dispenser Type (Revenue: USD Billion, 2019 – 2031)
●    Pump
●    Dropper
●    Twist & Clicks

By Material (Revenue: USD Billion, 2019 – 2031)
●    Platic
●    Glass
●    Metal

By Application (Revenue: USD Billion, 2019 – 2031)
●    Cosmetics
●    Pharmaceutical
●    Food & Beverage
●    Household Products

By Region (Revenue: USD Billion, 2019 – 2031)

● North America
o U.S.
o Canada
o Mexico

● Europe
o U.K.
o France
o Germany
o Italy
o Spain
o Rest of Europe

● Asia Pacific
o China
o Japan
o India
o South Korea
o South East Asia
o Rest of Asia Pacific

● Latin America
o Brazil
o Argentina
o Rest of Latin America

● Middle East & Africa
o GCC Countries
o South Africa
o Rest of Middle East & Africa