Influences on the
future of specialty films
In this latest bulletin, Smithers Pira assesses the key influences on the future of the specialty films market.
Vol 4 Issue 4 • INFLUENCES ON THE FUTURE OF SPECIALTY FILMS
Economic influences
S
pecialty film demand, like other polymer markets, is influenced by the
economic cycle. However, consumer demand for staple products such as
food, beverages and healthcare products has tended not to decline quite
as much as demand for discretionary items such as consumer durable
products, manufacturing or service industries when real income falls. European
manufacturing production, for example, declined by around 18 percent during the
2009 recession compared to a decrease of only 3.0 percent in food and
drink production. Furthermore, the European residential and non-residential
construction sector output fell by around 18 percent between 2007 and 2010.
Social influences
There are a number of social trends affecting specialty films growth. Consumers
of all ages are more genuinely concerned about their health than ever before
and are purchasing healthcare products and food and drink products that are
perceived to be healthier. This trend is benefiting specialty film sales for
pharmaceutical and medical products.
An increasingly urban society is leading to busy lifestyles for consumers. People
are working longer hours, there are more women in the workforce and there
are also longer commutes to and from the workplace. Faced with growing
time pressure, consumers are opting for convenience when selecting food and
beverage products and their packaging. This favours packs that are easy to open,
store and cook, including microwavable ready meal packs, boil-in-the-bag and
stand-up pouches.
Similarly, there has been an increase in eating away from home for time-
pressured consumers. As a consequence, food service packaging demand and
portable packaged products for ‘on the go’ consumption have benefitted. The
‘on the go’ eating trend has spurred food manufacturers to expand their offerings
of snacks, baked goods and beverages, in single-serving packages maintaining
adequate strength and protection for the packaged product. Film down-gauging
can lessen the impact of packaging waste on the environment, reduce
transportation costs and improve processor’s profit margins.
There are still opportunities for further down-gauging of specialty plastic film
over the forecast period. Even for film where down-gauging has gone as far as
possible for the moment, technological advancements may provide future scope
for lightweighting. This might be accomplished through use of nano-materials.
By Dominic Cakebread, Packaging Consultant at Smithers Pira
14
I
The GAPP
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