Advantage: Flexible Packaging

Food is the single largest market for flexible packaging, and in a separate study, "Food Containers to 2013: Rigid and Flexible," The Freedonia Group projects pouch use to increase 4.2 percent yearly to $5.6 billion in 2013. According to the study, healthy gains will continue for flat pouches in markets such as produce, frozen specialties, meat and related products, soups and canned specialties, and sauces and condiments. Although the use of pouches has become fairly common in many packaging applications, "[pouches] remain distinctive in appearance, and demand will benefit from continuing efforts by firms to differentiate their products with packaging that stands out," says Freedonia.