EU demand for stand-up pouches to grow 9.1%

The advantages of (SUP) packaging, such as as light weight and excellent oxygen barrier properties, will drive the European market to grow 9.1% over the next five years, according to PCI Films Consulting.

In the study ‘The European Market for Stand-Up Pouches 2010’, PCI says demand grew by 10-15% during the five years up to 2008. Demand dipped during the economic recession of 2009 but strong demand is expected to return over the next few years.

In 2009, nearly 19 billion SUPs were supplied in Europe, accounting for 5% of the total value of converted flexible packaging in Europe. This figure is predicted to rise to over 30 billion units by 2014.

“In recent years, attitudes towards the SUP have become much more positive as brand owners, retailers and consumers recognise the attractions of this format as a cost-effective, convenient and environmentally superior alternative to rigid packaging,” says report author Paul Gastor.

Last year, demand in Europe totalled 18.6 billion units, giving the market a value of €575m. Some 975 million square metres of laminate was used to make SUP pouches, a third or which ended up as wet pet food packaging.

PCI attributes the popularity of SUPs to a number of factors, including the development of new packaging machinery, which delivers higher production and filling speeds, as sell as improvements in sealing efficiencies. Brand owners are also offering consumers benefits such as easy-open closures, says the firm.

However, the SUP industry will need to invest to bring the entire process to the higher packing line speeds of the more conventional rigid packaging formats.