Page 52 - Plastics News June 2026
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FEATURE NEWS
driver. Flexible packaging consumes less mate- and Hyderabad has also increased the need for
rial than traditional alternatives while offering lightweight and durable packaging capable of
superior functionality, lightweight transportation, preserving product quality during rapid delivery
and enhanced shelf appeal. It has become the cycles.
preferred choice for food, beverages, snacks, Food Processing and Pharmaceuticals Fuel Ex-
pharmaceuticals, and personal care products.
pansion
Walk into any supermarket today and one sees
a vast range of products packaged in laminated
pouches, stand-up packs, zipper bags, and sa-
chets. A notable example is India's FMCG sector,
where single-use and small-format packaging
has played a critical role in expanding product
accessibility across rural and semi-urban mar-
kets. Affordable shampoo sachets, spice packs,
dairy products, and snack foods have enabled
brands to reach millions of consumers at low
price points. As consumption expands beyond
metropolitan cities, flexible packaging demand is
expected to grow at a robust pace. India's food-processing industry is becoming a
major growth engine for plastic packaging. The
E-Commerce Creates New Opportunities increasing popularity of ready-to-eat meals,
frozen foods, dairy products, beverages, and
For converters and processors, e-commerce
represents one of the fastest-growing end-use convenience foods requires packaging that can
segments in the packaging market.The explo- maintain freshness, extend shelf life, and en-
sive growth of e-commerce and quick-com- sure product safety. Advanced barrier films and
merce platforms is reshaping packaging require- multilayer packaging structures are increasingly
ments across industries. Online retailers require being used to protect products from moisture,
packaging solutions that can withstand trans- oxygen, and contamination. Similarly, the phar-
portation, handling, and storage while ensur- maceutical industry continues to drive demand
ing product safety. This has increased demand for high-performance packaging solutions.
for protective plastic packaging, air cushions, India is one of the world's largest producers of
stretch films, shrink films, courier bags, and tam- generic medicines, and pharmaceutical exports
per-evident packaging.
are growing steadily. Blister packs, medical con-
Companies operating in electronics, fashion, tainers, bottles, closures, and specialty packag-
cosmetics, healthcare, and food delivery are ing products rely heavily on plastics due to their
investing heavily in packaging innovations de- reliability, sterility, and cost efficiency. As health-
signed specifically for direct-to-consumer distri- care access expands and pharmaceutical manu-
bution models. The rise of instant delivery ser- facturing grows, packaging demand is expected
vices in cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, to rise significantly.
54 PLASTICS NEWS June 2026
