FPA Publishes State of the U.S. Flexible Packaging Industry Report

The Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), the leading advocate for the U.S. flexible packaging industry, announced its 2025 State of the U.S. Flexible Packaging Industry Report. 

The annual report provides converters, suppliers, investors, and analysts with a comprehensive view of industry performance over the past year.

The report focuses on the segment of the industry that adds significant value through processes such as printing, laminating, coating, extrusion, and bag and pouch manufacturing. This value-added segment is estimated at $34.1 billion in 2024, excluding retail shopping bags, consumer storage bags, and trash bags.

According to FPA’s analysis, the U.S. flexible packaging industry reached $42.6 billion in annual sales in 2024, up from $41.4 billion in 2023—a 2.9% growth rate. These values are calculated using U.S. Census data and other industry sources and reflect industry output rather than shipments.

Key Findings

• Flexible packaging accounts for roughly 20% of the total U.S. packaging market, making it the second-largest packaging segment behind corrugated.
• FPA members project 4.8% industry growth in 2025, bringing the market to an estimated $44.6 billion.
• Films, paper, and resins remain the largest converter input costs, representing nearly 75% of material purchases.
• Flexography continues to dominate printing technologies, representing 76% of shipments, followed by unprinted (12%), gravure (11%), and digital (1%).
• Food remains the largest end-use market, generating $19 billion in annual revenue—about 45% of the total market.
• The industry recorded 34 domestic M&A transactions in 2024, up from 31 in 2023.
• The U.S. flexible packaging trade deficit grew to $2.6 billion, with $3.9 billion in exports and $6.5 billion in imports, a 24% increase from 2023.
• Converter members again identified the labor pool as their top challenge, while suppliers cited growth and new materials.

The FPA bases its annual report on data from converter and supplier members, along with several U.S. Census components, and the survey results were tabulated in mid-2025. Much of the reported data is for 2024, with some projections for 2025. The report also includes insights from a 2025 U.S. flexible packaging industry economic impact study commissioned by FPA.