Trends For the Blister Packaging Market

Although not growing at a breakneck pace, the blister packaging market is booming at a CAGR of 6.4% between 2022 and 2031, according to a report by Future Market Insights.

Driven by card blister packaging, the report estimates the global market at US$13.1 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach US$22.9 billion by 2031.

According to a new study by ESOMAR Certified Market Research, demand for blister packs is expected to reach 5,180 tonnes to 5,710 tonnes by 2021.

The biggest driver in the market is the preference for blister packs over cartons or boxes in pharmaceuticals. Blister pack sales are also driven by growing demand from the food, consumer goods and veterinary sectors.

Various guidelines for pharmaceutical packaging are further catalysing growth for blister packaging manufacturers, while steady growth in the pharmaceutical industry is driving up the supply and demand curve.

For example, according to FDA guidelines, pharmaceutical packaging must have features to prevent confusion and cross-contamination and specify procedures to check the suitability of the packaging prior to packaging operations, a standard met by blister packs.

According to the Indian Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), India is the world's largest supplier of generic drugs, while the Indian pharmaceutical industry supplies more than 50% of global demand for various vaccines, 40% of US generic drug demand and 25% of all UK drugs .

Although the pharmaceutical industry holds a significant value share of the global market, the continued growth in demand for blister packaging is also attributable to its cost-effectiveness.

Specifically,below are points that states the blister packaging trends:

• Combination blister packaging remains profitable, accounting for over 55% of the share.
• The pharmaceutical sector maintains its leadership in end-use, holding a share of more than a third.
• High demand for thermoforming technology in the manufacture of blister packs to drive sales.
• By material, plastics and aluminium together are expected to hold more than 75% of the market.
• The US is the top country with 84% of the market value.
• The UK, Germany, France, China and other countries are lucrative markets for packaging suppliers.

Leading manufacturers operating in the global blister packaging market continue to enhance blister packaging formats by combining advanced packaging technologies such as thermoforming and cold forming," said FMI analysts.

In addition, increased demand for blister packs with high barrier films that offer excellent air resistance, moisture resistance and light resistance is expected to further drive the growth of blister pack manufacturers in the future.

Blister packs are mainly used for the airtight packaging, sealing and storage of unit dose drugs such as tablets and capsules. This market is primarily a pharmaceutical market.

While consumer preference for single-serving drugs is increasing the demand for blister packs, exponential growth in the pharmaceutical industry is further supporting the market.

The US is a global leader in biopharmaceutical research and development and is the largest biopharmaceutical market, accounting for approximately one-third of the global market. According to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association (PhRMA), US companies operate more than half of the world's research and development drugs (US$75 billion) and own the intellectual property rights to new drugs.

These figures represent a high demand for blister packs in the pharmaceutical industry, which in turn drives sales for manufacturers.

To take advantage of new opportunities, key market players are focusing on launching better quality products, for example :

Constantia Flexibles is launching a new blister product in 2021, the "Flexible Blister Packaging Solution", which can be run on conventional ribbon packaging equipment. It offers similar barrier protection to conventional blister packs, albeit with a flexible film on both sides.

Honeywell has launched Aclar Accel, a new thermoformable diaphragm for pharmaceutical packaging. Launched in 2021, it is claimed to reduce costs by enhancing the protection of medicines while maintaining patient safety.

Other major suppliers in the blister packaging market are Sonoco Products, WestRock, Rohrer and Winpak, accounting for nearly 25-30% of the global market, while other companies account for 70-75% of the market share.

Blister packaging, or blister packs as they are often called, are an inexpensive option for creating packages that are durable, transparent, and tamper proof.

Showcase your product in the best possible manner with a custom designed blister pack. A clear plastic blister pack can be used in conjunction with a cardboard blister card to keep the product in full view for the customer to examine.

The blister packaging is attached to the blister card through a heat-sealing process that allows the product to be displayed in a wide variety of methods. While this heat sealing process can be done with highly automated equipment, the use of blister packs is somewhat limited to light weight items.

Blister Packaging is an economical choice for the retailers and benefits the consumer as well. The product can be visually examined through the transparent plastic.

The backing card is usually colorful and designed to focus on the features of the product placed between the blister and card.

The blister tray is affixed to the card using heat and pressure to activate an adhesive (heat seal coating) on the blister card.

The adhesive is strong enough so that the pack may hang on a peg, but weak enough so that the package can be easily opened. Sometimes, with large items, the card has a small window to allow the consumer to touch the product while still allowing it to remain secure.

Pharmaceutical blister packs usually consist of a relatively thin blister tray that is lidded with a foil barrier. These packs allow the medication or supplement to be pushed through the lidding material for consumption.

These packs obviously provide tamper evidence and also, individual product distribution. This type of packaging is useful for protecting products against external factors, such as humidity and contamination for extended periods of time. Opaque blisters also protect light-sensitive products against UV rays that can negatively affect efficacy.

Medical blister trays differ from pharmaceutical blister packs in that these are not push-through packs. The thermoformed base web is made of a thicker plastic sheet and cannot be collapsed, thus forming a solid tray.

The lidding film provides a peel-open feature and is generally porous to allow sterilization such as EtO. Such medical blister packs are used for sterile medical devices, as used in hospitals.