Demand for Paper & Plastic Packaging to Exceed 25 Billion Pounds in 2010

Plastic packaging growth is expected to outpace that of paper packaging through 2010 in all competitive markets covered in The Freedonia Group’s study and is forecast to expand nearly 3 percent per year through 2010. Advances will result from plastic’s competitive cost and performance advantages over paper. The most rapid gains in market share are anticipate in soy and other nondairy beverages and pet food applications, with the frozen food, fruit beverages and detergent markets also expected to favorable increases. Robust growth is also expected for single-serving plastic milk bottles, driven by conversions from half-pint tabletop cartons to plastic bottles in quick service restaurants and school lunch programs.