Blister Packaging Market to Grow at Highest Pace Owing to Rising Pharmaceutical Industry

Blister packaging is preformed plastic packaging formed to contain a product, typically a solid pharmaceutical product such as tablets. It comprises of two components - a preformed clear plastic bubble and a backing of paperboard or aluminum foil. Blister packaging protects products from damage, contamination and theft during distribution. It offers convenience of viewing the product and easy access by pressing the product through the clear plastic bubble. Blister packaging is designed to pack individual products or small quantities in a compact and tamper-proof manner. As a result, it is widely used in pharmaceutical, food, electronics and industrial sectors to pack small items.

The Global Blister Packaging Market is estimated to be valued at US$ 20.02 Bn in 2024 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 4.5% over the forecast period from 2024 to 2030.

Key Takeaways

Key players operating in the Blister Packaging are BASF SE, DuPont, American Elements, Cabot Corporation, ZeniMac Exim, Southern Carbon Chemical, Reade Manufacturing Company, The Shepherd Chemical Company.

The pharmaceutical industry has been a major driver of demand for blister packs owing to their benefits of securing packaging integrity, convenience and tamper-evident properties. Tablets and capsules require individually sealed packaging to maintain their efficacy and quality over long shelf lives. Therefore, blister packs have emerged as the preferred packaging format.

Technological advancements have allowed enhanced blister pack designs. Some key innovations include lidding films that offer high moisture and gas barriers. Radio frequencyIdentificaiton (RFID) tags can be integrated into the packaging for product tracking. Self- heat seals enable easy peeling of the lidding for senior-friendly opening. Child-resistant and senior-friendly formats ensure safety and accessibility.

Market Trends

Growing demand for convenient and sustainable packaging: Blister packs offer convenience of single use packaging and easy storage for consumers while reducing packaging waste. Their compact size allows more units to be transported using less fuel.

Increased uptake in healthcare and biologics packaging: Emerging biologic drugs and vaccines require specialized packaging solution to prevent damage and contamination. Thermolabilie drugs are increasingly being packaged inCold form blister packs integrated with sensors to monitor temperatures during transport.

Market Opportunities

Personalized and specialized formats: Opportunities lie in developing customized formats and foil types catering to specific end-use sectors like medical devices, small electronics or food products. Child-resistant yet senior-friendly formats are another avenue.

Integration of smart technologies: Combining blister packs with smart labels, sensors or tags will allow real-time monitoring of product condition, authenticity verification and digital track and trace of individual packs. This can optimize supply chains.

Impact of COVID-19 on Blister Packaging Market Growth

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the blister packaging market size significantly during the initial months of the outbreak. Governments imposed nationwide lockdowns which disrupted the supply chains and halted manufacturing activities across various end-use industries such as food, pharmaceutical, consumer goods. This led to reduced demand for blister packaging in 2020 when compared to pre-COVID levels. However, as the pandemic intensified, the demand for packaged food and medicines increased rapidly. Blister packaging provided an efficient solution to facilitate safe transportation and storage of products while maintaining product integrity.

As restrictions eased in late 2020, manufacturing activities resumed gradually while following strict safety protocols. The market regained momentum as consumer spending on packaged goods rose. Key players ramped up production and focused on developing tamper-evident and child-resistant blister packaging solutions to meet the rising demand from pharmaceutical companies. In the post-COVID era, e-commerce sales of packaged food and medicines are expected to stay elevated. This will propel future growth opportunities for blister packaging manufacturers. They need to enhance production capacities and utilize sustainable materials to capitalize on the opportunities. Investments in automated machinery can further optimize production workflows.

Europe remains the largest market for blister packaging in terms of value owing to a well-established pharmaceutical industry and significant healthcare expenditures. Countries such as Germany, UK, France contribute majorly to the European market.

The Asia Pacific region is growing at the fastest rate and is expected to surpass Europe in the coming years. Rapid urbanization, rising disposable incomes, and growing middle-class population are fueling the sales of packaged consumer goods. Additionally, countries like India, China and Indonesia are emerging as global pharmaceutical manufacturing hubs. This is augmenting the demand for blister packaging from the APAC pharmaceutical industry.

The African continent presents untapped opportunities for market expansion. Initiatives by governments towards improving healthcare infrastructure and increasing access to medicines will drive the need for effective packaging such as blister packs.