The Freedonia Group's "Converted Flexible Packaging" report released in January 2006 projected global demand for converted flexible packaging would increase more than 4% annually through 2009. The study cited cost advantages over rigid containers, improved barrier performance, and source reduction—using less material per pack—as primary drivers across food, beverage, and consumer goods categories.
Flexible packaging was described as gaining share in applications traditionally served by cans, bottles, and rigid tubs. Stand-up pouches, retort formats, and high-barrier laminates appeared in case studies where brand owners sought shelf impact combined with logistics efficiency. Packaging Impressions noted the segment's "step increase" as printers invested in digital prepress and CI flexo to serve shorter runs with higher graphic quality.
PCI Films Consulting's parallel work on world flexible packaging markets forecast value growth averaging 4.6% per year to nearly $56 billion by 2010, with Asia Pacific expected to account for more than half of incremental global demand. Paul Gaster, PCI author, highlighted China emerging as the second-largest national market after the United States within the forecast window.
For machinery buyers, the Freedonia and PCI outlooks supported capital plans for slitting, laminating, and flexo print capacity—even when commercial print sectors faced digitization pressure. Converters quoted hall-layout expansions to customers who outsourced print today but anticipated in-house CI flexo within three to five years.
The 2006 forecasts also framed substrate investment: BOPP, cast PP, and PET film lines in Asia expanded to feed export and domestic pouch demand. Western converters responded with downgauging programs and metallized barrier structures to defend margins—a dynamic that would reappear when resin prices spiked again in 2008 and 2010.