PET film demand in the packaging market is forecast to expand 2.4% annually to 322 million pounds in 2021, faster than any of the major packaging film resins, according to “Packaging Films Market in the US,” a study from The Freedonia Group, Cleveland, Ohio.

Growth will be driven by rising barrier requirements, particularly in food packaging, as PET’s moderate barrier properties can better address these requirements.

Demand for PET film in food packaging is expected to grow 2.5% per year to 219 million pounds in 2021. Meat, poultry and seafood was among the leading outlets for PET film packaging in 2016, together with snack foods, accounting for 40% of demand. In both markets, growth will be stimulated by higher barrier demands. Opportunities in the meat, poultry and seafood market include heat-and-eat packaging and retort pouches.     

“[However,] growth will be restrained by competition from high-barrier resins such as nylon and PVDC that are well-established in the meat, poultry and seafood market, as well as limited applications in snack food packaging,” says Ellen Kriz, analyst. “Most demand for film in snack food packaging derives from polypropylene bags.”