According to Smithers’ calculations, the global market for packaging coatings will reach a value of almost US$15.4 billion in 2026. Water-based coatings and specialised vacuum coating processes in particular are expected to grow through 2031. At the same time, regulatory requirements are increasing the pressure to develop new solutions.
Barrier coatings represent the largest segment of the global packaging coatings market. According to the Smithers study “The Future of Packaging Coatings to 2031”, demand reached 4.4 million tonnes in 2025, with a value of US$9.97 billion.
In terms of volume, extrusion coatings currently dominate the market with a share of 33.4%. Polyolefins account for more than 63.5% of this demand. Over the next five years, however, Smithers expects the strongest volume growth in water-based coatings and specialised vacuum coating processes.
PPWR changes material selection
According to Smithers, the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive are changing the requirements for packaging materials. Europe is therefore expected to become the largest growth market for more sustainable packaging coatings through 2031.
“Coatings are no longer merely a functional addition to packaging. Increasingly, they are becoming the technology that determines whether a packaging format can meet the recycling and circularity requirements demanded by regulators and consumers,” explains Robert Outram, a Smithers consultant and co-author of the study. “Many conventional materials are now under pressure. Innovations in coatings therefore play a central role in the search for economically viable alternatives.”
Solvent-based systems lose market share
Solvent-based coatings have long been the standard for demanding applications, such as flexible plastic films and aluminium foil. According to Smithers, however, their use has been declining gradually since 2023. This trend is expected to accelerate.
Solvent-based technologies still accounted for 51.3% of primer volumes in 2025. Water-based systems represented 44.6%. Although radiation-curable technologies remain a smaller segment, the study identifies them as the fastest-growing primer category.
The transition involves technical challenges. In some applications, water-based systems do not yet match the performance of established solvent-based products on plastic substrates. This applies particularly to adhesion and drying speed. Water-based and UV-curable primers also need to close the remaining performance gap.
Food and beverages drive demand
Food packaging was the largest application segment for packaging coatings in 2025, accounting for 2.74 million tonnes. This represented 39.4% of global market volume and a value of US$5.89 billion. Smithers expects particularly strong growth from packaging for savoury snacks and confectionery.
Beverage packaging accounted for a further 30.8% of demand by volume. Its market value stood at US$4.55 billion.
By contrast, pharmaceutical and healthcare packaging represented only 4.5% of market volume in 2025. However, this segment is expected to record the strongest growth through 2031. Smithers attributes this to the high technical requirements and the previously slow—but now accelerating—transition to more sustainable packaging solutions in the pharmaceutical sector.
Coatings for fibre-based packaging
The move by major fast-food chains from plastic to paper fibre-based foodservice packaging is creating additional demand for paper coatings. These coatings must provide resistance to grease, moisture and heat without the use of fluorocarbon chemicals.
Smithers identifies water-based acrylic barrier coatings as one possible solution for high-volume cup applications. These coatings could be compatible with the pulping and fibre recovery processes used in paper recycling.
Asia-Pacific remains the largest consumer market
Asia-Pacific remains the largest market for packaging coatings. Smithers attributes this partly to population growth, urbanisation, rising disposable incomes and increasing demand for packaged food and beverages.
However, the market research company expects the highest growth rates during the forecast period through 2031 in South America and in the Middle East and Africa. Both packaging infrastructure and consumer goods markets are continuing to develop in these regions.
About the Smithers study
According to Smithers, more than 60 in-depth interviews were conducted across the value chain for the study. The market data are broken down by packaging and polymer type, coating technology, coating type, application and region. The report provides figures for volumes, market values and coated surface areas. It contains more than 100 tables and figures across 340 presentation slides and costs US$16,500 or €14,000.
About Smithers
With more than 100 years of technical and scientific expertise, Smithers is a global provider of market research for the printing industry. Smithers supplies data and specialist analyses intended to help companies navigate and position themselves within this rapidly changing market environment.
For further information, please contact Rachel Parkinson at rparkinson@smithers.com.
