PMMI Study Details Beverage Packaging Trends And Demands

PMMI research reveals opportunities and challenges of the beverage packaging industry

The beverage packaging industry in North America is expected to reach $26.3B in 2015, with plastic bottles leading the way in popularity, according to "Beverage Packaging — An Industry Assessment," scheduled for release next month by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

The study notes plastic continues to be the most widely used bottling material, accounting for over 40 percent of the market, and bottles, with approximately 55 percent of the market, are the most popular packaging format for beverages. Although they suffered from a drop in soft drink sales, aluminum cans are picking up steam as other beverage categories — such as energy drinks and microbrews — are more than making up for the lost volume. Flexible pouches have experienced the slowest growth, but many respondents still anticipate increased adoption of flexible beverage packaging down the road. Key to that, the report says, would be products geared to consumers accustomed to beverages, such as juice, in pouches.

Regardless of format, nearly all the interviews conducted for the study identified packaging as the primary means for communicating brand values to consumers.

The study also addresses key trends such as packaging size and dimension ratios, openings that offer a finer drinking experience, resealability for portion control, different pack sizes to meet specific market demands, and colors and graphics to cut through the clutter on store shelves. Additional details are given on trends, the supply chain, government regulation, concerns and additional needs of the industry. The full report, which will be free to PMMI members and $3,500 for non-members, will be available next month.

Beverage manufacturers, who need to bring these trends to life as they address their day-to-day challenges, will find what they're looking for at PACK EXPO International, co-located with Pharma EXPO, (Nov. 2–5; McCormick Place, Chicago). The four-day event, which is North America’s largest processing and packaging trade show, will feature the most innovative trends and technologies for the beverage industry and inspire brand owners with on-floor destinations such as The Beverage Cooler Lounge, hosted by the International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT). The networking hub will serve as a place for beverage professionals to share ideas and network at the show, and ISBT experts will be on hand to help attendees come up with solutions to their operational challenges. Additionally, attendees can benefit from educational sessions that will take place at PACK EXPO International. Educational sessions are listed on Packexpointernational.com.

PMMI is the owner and producer of the PACK EXPO portfolio of trade shows. More details from this and other PMMI Business Intelligence reports, will be addressed at PACK EXPO International this fall.

About PMMI
PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, is a trade association representing over 650 packaging and processing supply chain companies that provide a full range of packaging and processing machinery, materials, components and containers. PMMI actively brings buyers and sellers together through programs and events such as the PACK EXPO portfolio of trade shows.

PMMI organizes the PACK EXPO trade shows: PACK EXPO International, Pharma EXPO, co-located with PACK EXPO International and presented jointly with the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE); PACK EXPO Las Vegas, PACK EXPO East, EXPO PACK México and EXPO PACK Guadalajara, connecting participants in the packaging and processing supply chain with their customers around the world. Coming Up: PACK EXPO International 2014, Nov. 2–5 (McCormick Place, Chicago); Pharma EXPO, co-located with PACK EXPO International 2014; PACK EXPO East, debuting Feb. 16–18, 2015 (Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia); EXPO PACK Guadalajara 2015, March 10–12, 2015 (Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico); EXPO PACK México 2015, June 16–19 (Mexico City, Mexico). For more information, visit PMMI.org or Packexpo.com.