The Japanese plastic packaging industry is in rapid growth, according to a new report from Canadean, and demand for high quality and aesthetically pleasing packaging will aid the growth of the plastics industry in the market.
In its ‘Latest Trends and Key Issues in the Japanese Retail Packaging Market’ report, the market researcher forecasts that flexible and rigid plastics packaging demand in Japan will increase by 6.9 billion packs between 2012 and 2017.
“Japanese consumers place high importance on quality packaging, they are very engaged in the presentation of products and need to be convinced that packaging is flawless with particular regards to detail, colour, and labelling,” Canadean says.
This factor will, according to the company’s senior analyst Ronan Stafford: “Drive the wider use of plastic packaging and the development of more innovative plastic pack formats.”
No compromise on quality
A demanding population in Japan has created a spike in the use of plastic packaging for items such as beauty, drinks, luxury cosmetics, and health and beauty products.
Demand from skincare and make-up sectors alone will grow at a CAGR of 4.2% and 2.0% respectively during 2012 to 2017, according to Canadean.
As these sectors grow, manufacturers should therefore remain conscious of the quality, as well as the look and feel, of packaging materials, the market researcher advises.
As an example, Canadean cites AquaGirl Cosmetics, which has made use of DuPont’s Surlyn 3D over-moulding technology to create a plastic pack that “has the look and feel of luxury glass, while maintaining important barrier properties to protect the product”.
Demand to grow for rigid plastic
In addition, Canadean forecasts the demand for rigid plastic bottles, jars, and tubs, to “increase significantly” over the next few years.
Demand for jars will grow particularly strongly, the company says, at a CAGR of 3.0% between 2012 and 2017 – a reflection of rising demand for this packaging type in the health and beauty sector, as Japan’s increasingly ageing population requires packaging that is easy and convenient to use, as well as aesthetically pleasing.
www.canadean.com
