As use of flexible packaging expands, so does the demand for barrier materials. In fact, the market for barrier materials is projected to grow 2.7 percent per year to reach $13 billion in 2020, according to Barrier Materials for Flexible Packaging 2016-2020, a market study published in January by Allied Development Corp., Burnsville, Minn.
Another study, The Future of Functional Additives and Barrier Coatings for Plastic Packaging to 2021, published in August by Smithers Pira, Leatherhead, U.K., also forecasts a healthy growth rate globally. It attributes the expansion to economic, social, demographic and lifestyle changes; brand owners’ increasing focus on source reduction and sustainable packaging; consumer demand for convenience food; and a growing requirement from large retail chains for packaging that offers extended shelf life and less food waste.