North America

While nut- and seed-based spreads, such as peanut butter, continued to be predominantly packaged in PET jars in the US in 2023, flexible plastic continued to gain pack type share, as they are increasingly adopted by prominent players such as Jif.…

The generation of plastic waste has been an important concern for players in the packaged food industry for a number of years now, with brand owners continuing to innovate their packaging to boost sustainability credentials and meet plans to reduce…

Within processed meat categories such as chilled processed meat, the naturalness of meat products is becoming increasingly important as US consumers are continuously growing more aware of the impact of their consumption both on their health and on…

Shelf stable fruit player GoGo squeeZ is constantly innovating its packaging in order to align with its sustainability goals, with initiatives such as transitioning its aluminium/plastic retort pouch packaging to use 100% recycled materials in 2020…

Plant-based yoghurt, following in the footsteps of the popularity of plant-based milk, is increasingly growing in the US from a niche to a mainstream product, attracting a growing eco- and health-conscious consumer base. Awareness around the growing…

Chilled ready meals are largely regarded as a convenience food as they contain prepared meals that require only heating before consumption. These meals are primarily packaged in specific ready meal containers, which are typically microwave-safe…

In 2023, yoghurt remained the largest dairy category in the US in terms of packaging unit volume sales. Prominent players in yoghurt, such as Chobani, are turning to packaging to sustain consumer interest and set themselves apart from the…

Growing eco awareness across the US is driving consumers to seek out products that provide more sustainable end-of-cycle outcomes for packaging and the reduction of plastic waste generation. In turn, packaging players are responding to this demand by…

Although 2023 was an exception, aluminium/plastic pouches have generally been gaining share in baby food in packaging unit volume terms, with this expected to continue over the forecast period. Aluminium/plastic pouches are particularly widely used…

Although PET jars still lead packaging in chocolate spreads, glass jars have been gaining unit volume share in this category. Glass jars are considered more environmentally friendly than plastic packaging as they are recyclable and can be reused.…

While HDPE bottles, PET bottles and PET jars are the main pack types in mayonnaise in Canada, glass jars were gaining share in unit volume terms in this category over the review period, with this expected to continue over the forecast period. Glass…

Processed meat and seafood packaging had been in decline for a number of years before the pandemic resulted in a growth spike in 2020 in Canada. Since 2020, it has been back in decline, including another fall in its packaging unit volumes in 2023.…

Glass jars are popular for use in shelf stable vegetables packaging in Canada due to their exceptional preservation properties, visual appeal and environmental credentials. These qualities make them a popular choice for manufacturers and consumers…

While brick liquid cartons and gable top liquid cartons are still the biggest pack types in the category in unit volume terms, shaped liquid cartons are seeing strong growth and gaining share in the packaging of plant-based milk in Canada. Shaped…

Due to factors like recyclability and functional design, folding cartons continue to gain pack type share in frozen ready meals in Canada, having already become the most popular packaging format in the category over the review period, just ahead of…

In 2023, the pack type share of HDPE bottles continued to increase for goat milk packaging. HDPE is a food-safe plastic that does not leach harmful chemicals into the products it holds. This helps maintain the freshness and quality of dairy products…

Flexible packaging continues to be the dominant packaging in confectionery, with flexible plastic the main individual pack type thanks to its strong position in chocolate confectionery. Flexible plastic is also the most-used pack type for sugar…

Stand-up pouches are the most popular pack type in Canadian baby food, including both plastic pouches and aluminium/plastic pouches. They are viewed as offering a modern look, while being lighter and safer than glass, and enabling infants to feed…

There has been an increasing shift towards smaller formats in the packaging of soft drinks among Canadian consumers. This shift can be primarily attributed to the convenience offered by smaller packaging, like fitting easily into bags or cup holders…

Thin wall plastic containers were the leading pack type in coffee packaging in 2023, and are expected to record growth in this category over the forecast period. This trend is attributed to the prevalence of fresh ground coffee pods in Canada, with…