ProPaper Dubai 2024 Expo Forum to endorse sustainable packaging solutions.
The food packaging market in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) has been on an exponential post-pandemic growth trajectory and the primary drivers of this demand surge are e-commerce and consumer preference to opt for sustainable, environment-friendly and hygienic packaging.
“Paper packaging is now claiming a larger share in the overall US$74 billion packaging market, and food products verticals have become a major stakeholder in this growth,” said Atul Kaul, the Chair of the ProPaper Dubai 2024 Expo Forum, and the Chief Commercial Officer of Arab Paper Manufacturing Co, Saudi Arabia.
He said that this alternative packaging to plastic is now also being preferred by pharma, personal care and cosmetics in a big way, adding to the growth prospects of the paper packaging industry in the region.
It is in this growth context, Propaper Dubai is being hosted during September 17-19, 2024, offering a vantage point for entry and growth for paper industry players in the MEA market. The Expo Forum, an integral component of the leading paper industry expo, will bring together domain experts from across the world for deeper insights into the regional market dynamics of the paper industry and the opportunities.
Globally, the food packaging market size is expected to increase from US$353.7 billion to US$592.8 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 5.3 per cent, according to a data by Future Market Insights (FMI).
Comparative market studies for the MEA markets by research entity, Global Data, estimate that the food market currently valued at US$383.2 billion will grow at a CAGR of 33 per cent in the next five years, concomitantly increasing the prospects for paper food packaging as well.
“COVID-19 was an inflection point for the paper packaging industry, with the market for corrugated packaging products surging in the regional market. Apart from awareness on the carbon burden from traditional packaging, the successive ban on single-use plastics across countries also contributed to the growth of paper packaging products.” added Atul Kaul.