Edible Packaging Market Overview

Edible Packaging is sustainable food packaging is designed to be eaten or biodegraded as efficiently as the food it protects. It is a thin layer of material that can be eaten by the consumer as part of the whole food product. The packaging is primarily made of biodegradable, plant-based, and natural materials that can be eaten without processing, recycling, packaging waste collection, or disposal.

 

Edible Packaging Market experiencing significant growth of XX% every year and is expected to continue its growth during the forecast period. MonoSol LLC, XAMPLA, Notpla Ltd., JRF, and Wikicell Designs are well-established Edible Packaging Market. MonoSol LLC is a global leader in the Edible Packaging Market, which offers MonoSol® LXP-1832 is a completely edible water-soluble cellulose polymer film, their Edible film useful for fruit drinks, workout supplements, instant teas and coffees, and more. North America region held the dominant segment in Edible Packaging Market in 2023.

 

The Edible Packaging Market is mainly driven by the existence of important manufacturers, the pharmaceutical and processed food sectors, and the rising level of innovation in this region. which leads to the rapid growth of the Edible Packaging Market globally in the forecasting year 2024-2030. The cost and availability of raw materials are the main challenge in the Edible Packaging Market. Based on Material, Protein material dominates the market amongst all the packaging material types and currently holds the largest market share of XX% in 2023 because of its appealing combination of texture-enhancing, good film-forming, biodegradability, edibility, high levels of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and can be lower in cholesterol.

 

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Edible Packaging Market Dynamics

Edible Packaging Market Drivers

Increasing use in beverages and pharmaceutical applications drives the growth of the edible packaging Market.

The beverage and pharmaceutical sectors are developing edible films, coatings, and pouches for a range of uses. In the beverage sector, edible pouches are being created for single-serve beverages to replace the small plastic packets that are currently used, and edible films and coatings can be applied to bottles and cups to reduce plastic waste and produce a more sustainable product. And in the pharmaceutical sector, edible films can be used to package single-dose drugs, eliminating dispensing without the need for wasteful plastic containers, where edible coatings can be added to pills and capsules to make them easier to consume and hidden from unpleasant flavors.

 

Traditional capsules are principally made from gelatin, which is a common ingredient in medicines and food products formed by boiling the skin and bones of cows and pigs.  Gelatin-based capsules are widely available in the market as they are cheap to produce. According to the FDA, the intake of gelatin in food is safe although there is no standard dosage. KFC launched edible coffee cups in the U.K. made of cookie and white chocolate, and wrapped in sugar paper.

 

• The Swedish design studio Tomorrow Machine developed a line of food packaging, dubbed “This Too Shall Pass,” that includes a small bottle of cooking oil made from caramelized sugar coated with wax. The bottle is cracked like an egg to release the oil, and the wax shell can be composted. For refrigerated liquids, the firm designed a pouch from seaweed.

 

Growing need to reduce plastic packaging wastes.

Packaging accounts for approximately one-third of the world’s garbage. Thus, growing awareness about environmental problems, since solid waste makes it important to recycle waste to limit the amount of waste in landfills. Edible packaging plays an important role in reducing landfill disposals. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, plastic and other packaging waste make up around 30 percent of total U.S. waste annually, and of the 34.5 million tons of plastic waste generated each year, only 9 percent is recycled, with most of the recyclable waste shipped to other countries for processing.

 

Edible packaging solutions are seeing significant market demand as a result of consumer demand for sustainable options, stricter restrictions, and increased public concern about plastic waste. Stricter laws prohibiting the use of plastic are being implemented by governments all over the world. These rules include extended producer responsibility programs, charges on plastic packaging, and prohibitions on single-use plastics. This push towards plastic reduction creates a market gap that edible packaging can effectively fill which drive the Edible Packaging Market.

 

• Indian Government Ban on Single-Use Plastics: A major initiative is the ban on identified single-use plastic items, which came into effect in July 2022. This ban covers items like plastic cutlery, straws, cups, plates, and thin carry bags. The Indian government has officially banned PVC banners of less than 100 millimeters and thin plastic carry bags of less than 120 microns.
• In Brazil, a fast-food chain called Bob’s, serves their burgers wrapped in edible paper. It provides a solution for customers not wanting to unwrap their hamburger before eating it, works as a napkin for a less messy eating experience, and reduces paper waste.
• In the U.S., Coolhaus an ice cream company uses edible packaging which made of potato starch, and their edible wrappers hold each ice cream sandwich, serving as both a wrapper and napkin. They also print custom logos directly onto the wrapper using vegetable inks.

 

Environmental & Health Hazards from Traditional Plastic Packaging

Plastic emissions and waste are considered harmful to the environment since plastic recycling takes a huge amount of time. Single-use plastic products (polybags, food utensils, packaging materials, etc.) contribute about 50% of that plastic waste and end up their journey in landfill sites or the marine environment. Food and food packaging materials make up almost half of all municipal solid waste (MSW) in the US. According to EPA, 63% of the 258 million tons of MSW generated were packaging materials, with only 35% recycled or composted. Microplastics may cause harm at the cellular level, potentially leading to inflammation and organ damage.

 

According to a study in 2024 for the first time, microplastics are found in human placentas and fetuses, raising concerns about prenatal exposure. Microplastics have also been discovered in human blood and breast milk, indicating widespread contamination of people’s bodies. The impact on health is as yet unknown but microplastics have been shown to cause damage to human cells which drive the Edible Packaging Market.

 

Edible Packaging Market Challenges

Cost and availability of raw materials

Edible packaging materials are often more costly than conventional plastics because of things like complicated processing, small-scale manufacturing, and restricted access to bulk raw ingredients. Also, despite growing interest, customers might not always be willing to pay a premium for these sustainable solutions. Average 4 packs of edible cups in 2024 cost between 2 to 5 USD. U.S. Food and Drug Administration is also considered to harm the market due to strict requirements, as the edible films must be recognized as hygienic, healthy, and safe by authorization.

 

The films must also be produced on machines suitable for food processing and containing water-soluble polymers and additives. The edible layers are more likely to catch dirt, bacteria, and other dangerous particles, which contaminate the food product. Companies have to spend a lot of money to protect those layers from absorbing dirt and germs which is a main challenge in Edible Packaging Market.

 

Edible Packaging Market Segment Analysis

Based on Material, Protein material dominates the market amongst all the packaging material types and currently holds the largest market share of XX% of the Edible Packaging Market in 2023. As a byproduct of cheese, whey protein has good film-forming qualities and enhances edible films' mechanical strength and air barrier performance.  Milk proteins have received a lot of attention in the past few years for delivering and protecting nutraceuticals including vitamins, essential oils, probiotics, antioxidants, and bioactive peptides. Using milk proteins to encapsulate nutraceuticals aids food scientists in developing functional foods with beneficial health impacts. Gelatin, derived from collagen, is a well-established film-former but can have limitations in water resistance.

 

Gelatin is an important component of sustainable and useful edible packaging because of its appealing combination of texture-enhancing, good film-forming, biodegradability, and edibility. Europe's Edible Packaging Market is growing rapidly. Gelatin market, with a substantial market share of about XX% of the international gelatin market. Plant proteins like zein (from corn), soy protein isolate, and pea protein are gaining interest for their sustainability and potential health benefits.

 

Plant-based protein production generally requires less land and water compared to raising animals for meat, making it a more sustainable choice. plant-based proteins frequently contain high levels of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and can be lower in cholesterol and saturated fat, all of which have potentially positive effects on health. Some people choose plant-based proteins for ethical reasons, avoiding the environmental impact and animal welfare concerns associated with animals.

 

• In July 2022, Gelita opened a biotech hub for developing proteins from biotechnological processes for applications in nutrition, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical and medical products.

 

Edible Packaging Market Regional Insights

The North American region held the largest market share of XX% in 2023, due to the existence of important manufacturers, the pharmaceutical and processed food sectors, and the rising level of innovation in this area. It is now easier for manufacturers to find the raw materials required to create edible packaging solutions because the region has a well-established food processing industry that produces a large volume of food waste that can be used as raw material. To improve packaging, the region as a whole is also spending money on research and development. The government policies make the region an excellent fit for this packaging material, thus leading to rapid regional growth.

 

The United States leads the region's edible packaging market because of the increasing innovation and experimentation with new packaging materials and products in this sector. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, plastic and other packaging waste make up around 30 percent of total U.S. waste annually, and of the 34.5 million tons of plastic waste generated each year, only 9 percent is recycled, with most of the recyclable waste shipped to other countries for processing

 

Asia Pacific is expected to grow at a fast rate over the forecast period owing to several factors such as stringent government regulations on the ban of single-use plastics in the region and the urbanization drive the growth of edible packaging material in the region. The world imports most of its Gelatin pharmaceutical grade from Brazil, France, and China. Whereas the World exports most of its Gelatin pharmaceutical grade to India, the United States, and Germany

 

• China, once the primary recipient of American recycling waste, banned waste imports in 2018. Now, China’s recyclable plastics imports are down 99 percent, leaving the United States struggling to manage its massive amounts of plastic waste with a recycling infrastructure that cannot keep up.

Edible Packaging Market Scope

Edible Packaging Market
Market Size in 2023	USD 866 Million
Market Size in 2030	USD 1276.56 Million
CAGR (2024-2030)	5.7%.
Historic Data	2018-2022
Base Year	2023
Forecast Period	2024-2030
Edible Packaging Market Segments	by Material Type Polysaccharides Lipid Surfactant Protein Films Composite Films
	by Source Plant Animal
	By Product Type Films Coatings Spoon & Fork Others
	by Packaging Process Antimicrobial Nanotechnology Electro hydrodynamic Coatings Microorganisms
	by End User Food & Beverages Fresh Food Cakes & Confectionery Baby Food Dairy Products Pharmaceuticals Other

 

Edible Packaging Market by Region

North America (United States, Canada, and Mexico)

Europe (UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Austria and Rest of Europe)

Asia Pacific (China, South Korea, Japan, India, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Rest of APAC)

Middle East and Africa (South Africa, GCC, Egypt, Nigeria and Rest)

South America (Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America)

 

Edible Packaging Market Key Players.

• MonoSol, LLC
• XAMPLA 
• Notpla Ltd.
• JRF
• Wikicell Designs
• Amtrex Nature Care Pvt. Ltd.
• Evoware
• Biome Bioplastics 
• Tipa Corp.Lactips
• FlexSea
• Coolhaus
• Nagase America