Pharmaceutical Packaging Market Size, Share, Growth, Report 2025 to 2034

Pharmaceutical Packaging Market Size and Growth 2025 to 2034

The global pharmaceutical packaging market size is calculated at USD 153.57 billion in 2025 and is expected to be worth around USD 407.85 billion by 2034, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.46% over the forecast period 2025 to 2034. The pharmaceutical packaging sector is undergoing significant growth. The steady increase in chronic conditions—currently impacting more than 1.3 billion individuals worldwide—underscores the need for packaging that is both secure and sterile. Sales of global biologics, which rose 12% in 2023, have led to heightened orders for pre-filled syringes and sterile vials. Concurrently, the expanding e-commerce pharmaceutical channel recorded a 17% year-on-year increase in 2023 and is raising the bar for tamper-proof and temperature-sensitive packaging suited for direct-to-patient distribution. Nations such as India—where pharmaceuticals exports climbed 9.4% in 2023—and Brazil are also moving quickly to incorporate advanced blister technologies and eco-friendly substrates. As the industry prioritizes sustainability, patient protection, and user convenience, these dynamics will continue to drive steady growth.

Why pharmaceutical packaging?

Pharmaceutical packaging encompasses the systematic isolation and safeguarding of pharmaceutical goods—including drugs, biologics, and diagnostic devices—throughout all logistical and handling stages. This multilevel enclosure protects the active pharmaceutical ingredients and provides a hermetic barrier against microbial ingress, mechanical impact, and variances in temperature, humidity, and electromagnetic radiation. Levels of packaging are delineated as primary, interfacing directly with the formulation (e.g., ampoules, blister films, and syringes); secondary, consolidating these primary containers into retail units (e.g., printed cartons and multipacks); and tertiary, designed for bulk logistical handling (e.g., shrink-wrapped pallets and bulk containers). In addition to physical protection, packaging delineates dosage forms, facilitates traceability through barcoding, and conveys mandated product information, all while adhering to the rigorous stipulations imposed by regulatory agencies such as the FDA and EMA.

Pharmaceutical Packaging Market Report Highlights

• By Region, North Amenica accounted for a revenue share of 36.50% in 2024.
• By Product Type: Blister packaging constituted 25% of the worldwide market in 2024, a reflection of the rising volume of solid dosage forms prescribed for chronic disease management.
• By Material: Plastics and polymers accounted for 37.1% of unit-volume demand, selected for their favorable weight-to-strength ratios, cost-effectiveness, and ability to be engineered for barrier variability.
• By Application: Solid oral dosage forms, primarily capsuls and tablets, captured 40% of the total market in 2024, a testament to their predominant role in global therapeutic regimens.
• By End-User: Pharmaceutical Manufacturers—Representing 52.1% of worldwide demand, manufacturers now integrate both primary and secondary packaging lines within their facilities to optimize quality assurance.
• By Region: Asia-Pacific is projected to accelerate at a 9% CAGR through 2030, propelled by the expanding generics pipeline and efficacy of the increasingly robust vaccine manufacturing ecosystems in India and China.

Pharmaceutical Packaging Market Trends

• Growth of Sustainable & Eco-friendly Packaging: The rise of sustainable and eco-friendly materials in pharmaceutical packaging is a dominant trend, underscored by a global sustainable packaging segment forecasted to expand at a 9% compound annual growth rate between 2023 and 2030. Regulatory frameworks, including the European Union Green Deal and the latest FDA guidelines, are reinforcing the move toward circular materials. Amcor, for instance, debuted recyclable polyethylene blister packs in 2023, achieving a 70% reduction in plastic waste, while Gerresheimer rolled out vials manufactured from bio-based polyolefins derived from renewable feedstocks.
• Rise of Smart & Connected Packaging: Smart packaging for pharmaceuticals—blending RFID, NFC, and QR technologies—is steadily becoming the linchpin for better supply-chain oversight, anti-counterfeiting measures, and active patient engagement. Analysts project the market’s expansion at an 11% compound annual growth rate through 2030, driven by the ballooning demand for strict traceability and enhanced safety, especially for high-value medications. Such innovations are especially crucial for cold-chain requirements, specialty pharmaceuticals, and markets facing acute counterfeit pressures, assuring both product quality and unwavering regulatory adherence.

Report Scope

Pharmaceutical Packaging Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

• Rising Demand for Biopharmaceuticals: The accelerating worldwide demand for biopharmaceutical products is a primary catalyst for sophisticated pharmaceutical packaging solutions capable of preserving stability, sterility, and protective barriers. Biologics and biosimilars now represent a growing segment of pharmaceutical expenditure. This trajectory has prompted the sector to adopt solutions such as prefilled syringes, vials engineered with advanced barrier coatings, and fully temperature-controlled cold-chain systems. For example, Schott AG has engineered specialized glass vials exhibiting low ion exchange rates to protect sensitive biologics from extrinsic contamination. Concurrently, West Pharmaceutical Services markets a range of prefilled, sterilized delivery systems designed for vaccines and fragile injectable biologics, thereby guaranteeing the integrity of the product throughout the supply chain. As biopharma development pipelines continue to broaden, such packaging innovations will be indispensable for satisfying increasingly rigorous regulatory and safety mandates.
• Growth in Aging Population & Chronic Disease Prevalence: The world’s population is both getting older and living longer with chronic diseases, and this dual trend is driving steady and growing demand for durable, long-course drug therapies whose success hinges on secure, user-friendly packaging. According to WHO forecasts, by 2030 around one in six of us will be over sixty, and older people tend to take more—and more complex—medication. Smarter packaging is therefore needed to support adherence, reduce risk, and simplify life for this large demographic. Solutions such as blister packs with larger print, childproof seals, and easy-open features are now essential. Amcor, for example, has created special blister blisters for patients with arthritis, allowing those with reduced hand strength to peel and dose independently.

Market Restraints

• High Costs of Advanced Packaging Solutions: The integration of advanced packaging capabilities—include anti-counterfeiting markers, temperature-controlled cold-chain units, and highly specific barriers laminates—substantially elevates operational expenditure. PMMI research indicates that smart, track-and-trace systems can inflate unit packaging expenses by 15% to 25% relative to legacy solutions. For smaller and mid-tier pharmaceutical firms, especially those operating in favour of volume-sensitive economies, such escalations pose tangible barriers to scaling implementation. For instance, embedding RFID chips to enhance the security of supply chains raises the unit cost of each shipment. Likewise, temperature-sensitive packaging solutions for biological products, including insulated containers manufactured by Sonoco ThermoSafe, incur substantial expenses for both the materials and the associated logistics networks. Such cost increments can render sophisticated packaging solutions prohibitive for pharmaceuticals with narrow profit margins, thereby decelerating the introduction of these products into emerging markets.
• Stringent Regulatory Compliance and Approval Delays: The rigid approach to documenting and validating compliance often elongates the entire product development lifecycle while sharply increasing expenditures on research and development. Freedonia's analysis indicates that the lead time from development of the packaging and through regulatory sign-off is at least in the range of 6 to 18 months. This, in turn, caps the speed at which new therapeutics can be launched. Illustrating this point, a multinational manufacturer recently postponed the launch of a pediatric drug after discovering that the intended blister pack did not comply with the EU’s child-resistant container standards. Simultaneously, emergent serialization requirements in India and Brazil forced several customers to redesign primary-package structures while batch production was already in progress. Such retroactive changes greatly hindered the planned production scale-up by incurring substantial retooling costs. In addition, there is a far-reaching impact of regulatory necessities on agility and the ability to launch new therapies in a timely manner that stiffer compliance requirements often delay extensive changes to packaging structure that begin at the laboratory stage.

Market Opportunities

• Expansion in Specialty Carbon Black for High-Value Applications: Increased focus on regulatory requirements concerning the reduction of waste is creating new avenues for sustainable packaging in the pharmaceutical sector. The EMEA and FDA are both promoting the use of recyclable and biodegradable materials. Bidstrup has predicted that the global sustainable pharmaceutical packaging market is set to increase by more than 8% CAGR through 2030. This includes plant-based plastics, recyclable blister packs, and reduced-plastic designs. For instance, Huhtamaki invented paper-based blister packs that substitute PVC with renewable fibers. Amcor also launched pill bottles made entirely of recyclable polyethylene. As healthcare brands work to meet ESG objectives, companies that lead in sustainable materials innovation stand to capture large market share and consumer confidence.
• Growth of Smart & Connected Packaging: The emergence of digital health is driving the need for smarter and more sophisticated packaging in the form of integrated sensors, NFC tags, and QR codes for better adherence, transparency in the supply chain, and medication compliance. The healthcare smart packaging market is anticipated to hit around USD 43 billion by 2032. This technology can monitor temperature, patient adherence, and combat counterfeiting. Connected inhalers that record the history of doses through smartphone apps are provided by Aptar Pharma. NFC-enabled labels by Schreiner MediPharm authenticate medicines and provide mobile instructions. With the growth of remote patient monitoring and personalized medicine, smart packaging will see explosive growth in pharmaceutical supply chains.

Market Challenges

• Counterfeit Medicines and Supply Chain Security: The global market for counterfeit drugs poses a significant and dangerous risk to public health while eroding trust in pharmaceutical brands. The WHO estimates that 1 in 10 medical products in low- and middle-income countries is substandard or falsified, with a considerable fraction infiltrating the supply chains through poorly protected packaging. This necessitates that packaging firms add anti-tampering technologies, serial numbering, and authentication, which would otherwise be expensive. For instance, Pfizer issued serialized 2D barcodes on all secondary packaging to observe the U.S. Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA). In the same fashion, Avery Dennison manufactured tamper-evident labels for high-value injectables.
• Cold Chain Packaging Complexity for Biologics: Maintaining the strict temperature requirements of storage and transport for biologics and vaccines makes cold chain packaging critical and difficult. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that as much as 25% of vaccines are lost every year due to cold chain failures. For instance, Sonoco ThermoSafe provides PCM packaging for ultra cold shipments like mRNA vaccines.

Pharmaceutical Packaging Market Regional Analysis

What makes North America the dominant region in the pharmaceutical packaging market?

• The North America pharmaceutical packaging market size is calculated at USD 56.05 billion in 2025 and is expected to surpass around USD 148.87 billion by 2034.

The North American region had over 36.5% of the global market in 2024. This was driven by a well-established pharmaceutical industry, high spending on healthcare, and stringent regulatory policies like the DSCSA. The U.S. is also leading the industry in sustainable packaging and advanced serialization. Demand for low-cost blister and bottle packs from Canada’s generics market is also supportive. Avery Dennison’s RFID-enabled pharma labels also help transparency in the supply chain. Biologics production, specifically in the US, is also increasing the demand for vials and syringes in a controlled temperature setting. The region is also characterized by the use of smart packaging tailored for patient adherence tracking, which is supported by government-subsidized healthcare initiatives.

Why does Europe hold significant growth potential in the pharmaceutical packaging market?

• The Europe pharmaceutical packaging market size is calculated at USD 43.61 billion in 2025 and is estimated to grow around USD 115.83 billion by 2034.

Europe is set to become the second largest market within the region, having over 28.4% share by 2024. It is marked by strong sustainability initiatives as well as rigorous adherence to the EU FMD. Germany, France, and the UK are frontrunners in the adoption of greener materials, including blister films and cartons made of paper. Schreiner MediPharm is an example of an EU compliance driven innovation, having created EU authentication compliant tamper-proof labels. Packaging for biologics and specialty drugs is particularly driven by innovation, especially for prefilled syringes and temperature-controlled transport packaging. The EMA has also influenced. Huhtamaki and Amcor towards expanding the offering of recyclable pharma packaging, particularly for over-the-counter and chronic care medicines aimed at waste reduction.

What factors are driving Asia-Pacific’s rapid emergence in the pharmaceutical packaging market?

• The Asia-Pacific pharmaceutical packaging market size is estimated at USD 37.78 billion in 2025 and is forecasted to hit around USD 100.33 billion by 2034.

The region of Asia-Pacific is predicted to grow at a CAGR of more than 7% up until 2030. This is driven by increased pharmaceutical manufacture in China and India, increased exports of generics, and improved healthcare access. India’s pharmaceutical export value reached USD 25.4 billion in 2024, creating significant demand for both bulk and retail packaging. Uflex and Gerresheimer have also started to invest in Indian manufacturing for high-barrier blister films and vials respectively. Korea and Japan lead in developing smart and user-friendly packaging for the elderly. Domestic drug manufacturing policies like “Make in India,” and China’s healthcare reforms, also boost demand for packaging.

Pharmaceutical Packaging Market Share, By Region, 2024 (%)

What factors keep LAMEA in the developing phase of the pharmaceutical packaging market?

• The LAMEA pharmaceutical packaging market size is calculated at USD 16.12 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach around USD 42.82 billion by 2034.

The Latin America is expanding, propelled by an upgrade in healthcare and an evolving regulatory framework. The region is dominated by Mexico and Brazil, with Brazil's serialization mandate greatly impacting packaging design. The market is supported by the rising purchases of generics and over-the-counter medicines as well as domestic production. Brazil's Pharma sales are expected to surpass 30 billion dollars in 2024, leading to the adoption of more compliance driven blister packs and bottles, as per IQVIA.

Pharmaceutical Packaging Market Segmental Analysis

Type Analysis

Bottles: The bottles hold a 20% share of the global pharmaceutical packaging market in 2024, valued for durability and compatibility with tablets, capsules, liquids etc. Most bottles are made of HDPE, PET, and glass. For instance, Gerresheimer glass works provides high quality glass bottles while Berry Global makes child resistant plastic bottles for OTC medicines. There is growth in these items due to increased sales of OTC drugs in the US and other developing countries that do not prefer blister packs. The growth of e-pharmacy channels is also increasing the need for secure and tamper-evident bottles.

Blister Pack: Brilliant branding and advertising led to 25% market share for blister packs. Amcor and TekniPlex are the market leaders and between them produce and sell most of the high-barrier blister packs for moisture sensitive drugs. Expanding older populations in need of chronic disease medications in Europe and Asia are the major drivers.

Vials and ampoules: This segment of the market encompasses biologics used in injectable drugs, vaccines, and other biologics and represents 18% of the market. Global demand greatly increased from 2020 to 2022 as a result of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

Others: These are made up of manufacturing and selling tubes, jars, and stick packs, which account for a total of less than 10% market share. For example, Aptar Pharma manufactures nasal spray tubes, while Neopac produces pharma-grade barrier tubes used in dermatological creams. Demand in the industry is fueled by the topical and niche therapeutic products.

Material Analysis

Plastics & Polymers (PE, PET, PVC, PP, etc.): Dominating the market with over 45% share in 2024, plastics and polymers continue to lead the market owing to their light weight, ease of manufacturing, and low cost. PE and PET bottoles are common containers for tablets and liquids. PVC is critical for blister pack films. Berry Global and Amcor are the primary pharma grade plastic manufacturers with moisture and oxygen barriers. Child-resistant closures and replenishable packaging raise their need, fueling greater innovation. For example, Huhtamaki designed PE bio-based syrup bottles, and TekniPlex developed PVC-free blister films to meet EU sustainability objectives. Growth is also propelled by the increased generic drug production in India and China.

Glass: Representing 30% of the market share glass is also valued in the industry because it has low chemial reactivity, it’s clear, and is also resistant to high temperature which makes it good for injectables and biologics. For stability sensitive drugs the industry standard for biopharmaceutical vials is borosilicate glass vials. Schott AG supplies high-strength glass vials for the mRNA covid-19 vaccine, and Gerresheimer has pre-sterilized glass syringes for sale to biotech companies. With the expansion of vaccine manufacturing in the Asia-Pacific region, and a shift to biologic therapies, demand is rising. Current innovations include anti-delamination coatings and lightweight glasses to reduce the risk of breakage in the logistics.

Others: For liquid medicine containers, plant-based biopolymer closures were introduced by Aptar Pharma, and Sealed Air offers flexible medical grade laminates for diagnostics packaging use. This growth stems from efforts to meet sustainability targets as well as to high-value niche packaging such as cold pouches for temperature-sensitive medicines.

Application Analysis

Oral Drugs: Over 55% of the market stems from the usage of tablets, capsules, and syrups. This segment is served by packaging styles such as blister packs, bottles, and sachets. Amcor and TekniPlex are market leaders for high barrier blister films, and Gerresheimer supplies PET bottles for liquid formulations. Increased demand from the treatment of chronic diseases and merit from diabetes and cardiovascular drugs are enhancing supply. Increased production of blister packs has been observed as a result of India’s growing generics market. Regulatory changes like child-resistant closures in North America also drive oral drug packaging innovation.

Injectable Drugs: The market share for injectables is approximately 30% and is driven by biologics, vaccines, and oncology treatments. Primary formats include sterile vials, ampoules, prefilled syringes, and cartridges. Schott AG supplies borosilicate vials for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, while West Pharmaceutical Services designs coated plungers to improve stability for the drug. The surge in biologics approved in the U.S. and EU and the expansion of cold chain logistics has increased the demand for high-strength glass and polymer containers. Due to the ease of use in chronic diseases, prefilled syringes are becoming increasingly popular.

End User Analysis

Pharmaceutical Companies: Albea's dermatology product tubes are hinged. For asthma and COPD, and for nasal sprays. Example: Cipla's metered dose inhalers with moisture protection. Nicotine, hormone, pain patches. Different multilayer barrier films are needed for each. Example of multilayer barrier: 3M's transdermal patch pouches. Pharmaceutical manufacturers are the largest end-users, holding over 50% market share in 2024 because of inhouse packaging operations for branded and patented drugs. Considerable resources are allocated to install sophisticated lines for blistering, bottle filling, labeling, and serial number marking which are in demand and essential for regulation and brand protection. Companies like Pfizer and Novartis maintain dedicated packaging units for sensitive biologics and complex oral dosage forms. For instance, Pfizer implemented a global 2D barcode serialization program across all markets to meet regulatory requirements under the U.S. DSCSA and EU FMD. Packaging inhouse allows pharma firms to safeguard product quality, controlled security and design, and reduces counterfeit infiltration risks in the supply chain

Contract Packaging Organizations (CPOs): CPOs are contract packaging organizations. They provide packaging services which allows pharma companies to redirect capital investments and concentrate on primary drug development. This segment is growing quickly which is attributed to flexibility, accelerated timelines, and specialized format knowledge. In developed regions, outsourcing constitutes more than 30 percent of total pharma packaging volumes, as reported by Pharmapack. Companies like Catalent and PCI Pharma Services provide blister packing, vial and syringe filling, labeling, and kitting for commercial and clinical trial products. PCI Pharma, for instance, managed global cold-chain packaging for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

Others: Retail pharmacies are a new growing end-user segment of OTC and repackaged prescription medicines. With the global retail pharmacy market surpassing USD 1.2 trillion in 2024 (IQVIA), there is a need for more POS packaging. Clinical trial packaging is tailored for small volumes with special features needed for blinded and multi-arm study designs. They provide accurate labeling, randomization, and tracking for the studies. Almac Group and Sharp Clinical Services provide temperature-controlled blistering, multi-language labeling, and patient kits for global trials. Almac supported more than 5000 active studies with custom kits in 2023.

Pharmaceutical Packaging Market Top Companies

• Amcor plc
• Berry Global, Inc.
• Gerresheimer AG
• SCHOTT AG
• AptarGroup, Inc.
• West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
• WestRock Company
• CCL Industries Inc.
• Constantia Flexibles Group GmbH
• Huhtamaki Oyj
• Sonoco Products Company
• Albea S.A.

Recent Developments

• April 2025: Gerresheimer, in collaboration with Injecto, released new glass and cyclic olefin polymer (COP) syringe systems which are free from silicone oil and PFAS. These systems are intended for sensitive biologics and special applications.
• March 2025: DHL Group acquired 100% of CryoPDP, a specialized courier for the clinical trials, biopharma, and cell and gene therapy sectors. This acquisition enhance DHL’s supply chain capabilities in serving the global life sciences and healthcare market.

Market Segmentation

By Product Type

• Bottles
• Blister Pack
• Vials and Ampoules
• Caps & Closures
• Pouches
• Medication Tubes
• Jars & Conisters
• Prefilled Syringes
• Others

By Material

• Plastics & Polymers
  
  • Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
  • Polypropylene (PP)
    
    • Homo
    • Random
  • Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
  • Polyethylene (PE)
    
    • HDPE
    • LDPE
    • LLDPE
  • Polystyrene (PS)
  • Others
• Glass
• Paper & Paperboard
• Aluminium Foil
• Others 

By Application

• Oral Drugs
• Injectable Drugs
• Topical
• Ocular/ Ophthalmic
• Nasal
• Pulmonary
• Transdermal
• IV Drugs
• Others

By End User

• Pharmaceutical Companies
• Contract Packaging Organizations (CPOs)
• Retail Pharmacy
• Others

By Region

• North America
• APAC
• Europe
• LAMEA