BOPP film demand is strong in emerging markets

Emerging markets are presenting significant opportunities for BOPP film demand, while mature markets experience a slowdown, according to AMI expert consultants who share first-hand industry insights with data analysis in a market report by AMI titled BOPP Films - The Global Market 2024.  

The report determines that the primary application for BOPP films remains in direct food packaging, as contemporary retail increasingly serves a market with a growing appetite for packaged foods. Food security and convenience remain important drivers for packaged food growth in low-income markets. 58% of BOPP film demand is used for direct food packaging, and if labels are included, this rises to 65%. Snack foods are the most important food category for BOPP films by volume. Snacking and the consumption of packaged snacks for convenience is a growing trend, with busy on-the-go lifestyles encouraging more snacking occasions in all regions.

Present inflationary pressures and geopolitical uncertainties have led consumers to rely more on affordable food staples like pasta and noodles, which often utilize large quantities of BOPP film for their straightforward and effective packaging and presentation.

The diversity of markets for BOPP film is illustrated in the large volume in “other foods”, which covers a wide variety including frozen food and fresh fruit and vegetable packaging.

Snacks and other dried foods are forecast to provide the biggest opportunity for growth, particularly in emerging markets where per capita BOPP film consumption is lower and where convenient, protective packaging is still an appealing factor in food consumption, despite global commitments to packaging reduction and recyclability.

Packaging converters need to keep abreast of such end-use market trends and understand how they are influencing BOPP film supply and innovation.

A market shift towards BOPE

Within the flexible packaging space the latest solution predicted to develop into a viable mass-market option is BOPE film, thanks to the interest in mono-material structures and brand owner recycling commitments.

A key feature of BOPE is mechanical recyclability and now with established PE film recycling streams in place across many countries, this can be truly utilised. Sustainability and mono-material structures remain key drivers within flexible film research and development. A growing body of sustainability legislation, such as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation in Europe, is impacting packaging development.

Investors in BOPE film extrusion are hedging their bets by installing hybrid BOPE/BOPP extrusion lines so that lines can be used for both materials. Others have modified existing lines to be ready to ramp up production when the market demands it, and only one company so far has dived in by investing in a fully dedicated BOPE line. But this opportunity doesn’t come without challenges and within this latest market report, AMI assesses the key players, market growth and potential in a chapter dedicated to this fast-developing new material.

The report will also enable users of BOPP films to improve their knowledge of end-use applications, demand and production in each world region and get an independent assessment of the implications for future material sourcing.

Also newly included in this report is a chapter dedicated to Battery Separator Films. With green industry and new energy becoming increasingly important, the use of BOPP in this segment is explored and analysed for the first time by AMI’s market experts.