Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Market Snapshot (2023 to 2033)

The global pharmaceutical unit dose packaging market is expected to attain an impressive valuation of USD 34.2 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 136 billion by 2033, expanding at a CAGR of 14.8%.

The thriving growth in pharmaceutical sector is one of the primary growth determinants for inducing pharmaceutical unit dose packaging sales. The pharmaceutical business has been expanding at a rapid pace in recent years due to technological and scientific advancements. This trend is predicted to continue over the forecast period which will positively influence product demand.

The rising desire to decrease drug wastage is further proliferating product sales. Medication waste has a substantial financial impact on the healthcare system which creates negative environmental consequences. For this purpose, adoption of unit dose packaging becomes necessary, which is expected to fuel growth in the market.

Report Attribute Details
Expected Market Value (2023) USD 34.2 billion
Anticipated Forecast Value (2033) USD 136 billion
Projected Growth Rate (2023 to 2033) CAGR 14.8%

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2018 to 2022 Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Demand Analysis vs. Forecast 2023 to 2033

The market for pharmaceutical unit dose packaging was worth USD 17.2 billion in 2018. It accumulated a market value of USD 30 billion in 2022 while growing at a CAGR of 14.9% from 2018 to 2022.

With the advent of new and biosimilar therapies for viral disorders, cancer, and other debilitating diseases, the demand for unit-dose pre-fillable syringes and parental vials is expected to rise in the coming years.

Increasing patient compliance through packaging designs is a major trend supporting market growth. This will promote the use of strip and blister packs, as well as other unit-dose containers. Clinical drug trials are also expected to generate growth opportunities for unit-dose packaging systems that promote compliance and recordkeeping.

Ongoing improvements in syringe design and safety are facilitating therapies meant for self-injection. This is estimated to propel demand for unit-dose parenteral vials and pre-fillable syringes. An increasing focus on infection prevention in parenteral drug delivery systems used in clinics, hospitals, physicians’ offices, and nursing homes will most likely fuel product demand in the next ten years.

Additionally, demand for unit-dose formats will rise in response to the growth of global preventive medicine, which requires single-dose injectable vaccines for diseases like COVID-19, meningitis, influenza, and shingles. After a comprehensive analysis of above-mentioned factors, the revenue growth of pharmaceutical unit dose packaging devices market is projected to be worth USD 136 billion by end of the forecast period, while exhibiting a CAGR of 14.8%.

Which are Some Prominent Drivers spearheading the Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging devices market?

Introduction of new injectable parenteral therapies to drive the market growth

The expanding healthcare system, increasing per capita income, and heavy investments in drug development are some of the key factors driving the market growth. The growing importance of generic drugs and access to better healthcare services is further expected to boost product sales.

For instance, the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act) came into effect on December 13, 2016, in the United States. It is designed to fasten medical product development. The law is expected to generate new innovations in product developments in the pharmaceutical industry. It is estimated to drive the demand for unit dose packaging in the forthcoming years.

Advancements in biotechnology are further expected to drive the growth of primary pharmaceutical packaging like unit dose packaging, resulting in the launch of new injectable parenteral therapies. Moreover, surging demand for high-visibility unit dosage packaging for diseases like diabetes is anticipated to fuel market expansion.

Along with this, the pharmaceutical secondary packaging industry is reflecting significant growth. Due to this, the growth is driven by factors such as rising use of unit dose packaging for drugs, increasing importance of product safety and traceability, and surge in use of child-resistant and senior-friendly packaging.

With the rising use of unit dose packaging for drugs, there is an increased adoption trend of pharmaceutical secondary packaging solutions that can guarantee accurate dosage and minimize the risk of medication errors.

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What are the challenges Projected to be Faced by the Market?

High cost of packaging to restrain market expansion

The growth in the market is expected to be hampered by increasing overall packaging costs as a result of changing regulations and laws. The high installation cost of automated systems and their upkeep costs are further anticipated to hinder market growth.

Region-Wise Insights

What are the growth prospects in North America?

North America to dominate the market with maximum share

North America dominated the market by accumulating a revenue share of 21.2% in 2022. The region is expected to retain this trend by accounting for over 38.6% market share by end of the forecast period.

The presence of several manufacturers of pharmaceutical plastic bottles in the country, including Gerresheimer AG, AptarGroup Inc., Amcor Ltd., and Berry Plastics Group, Inc., is likely to have a positive impact on the demand for single-dose pharmaceutical bottles.

The regional growth is further expected to grow due to thriving economies, a rising geriatric population, and advanced medical delivery systems.

Due to advanced primary medical community, rising research activities in life science and medical science, increasing healthcare spending intensity, and huge presence of pharmaceutical and medical supply and device industries in the region, the product demand is expected to rise.

The United States alone accounted for 11.90% of revenue share in 2022. It is expected to accumulate a 12.8% market share by end of 2023. The region is experiencing strong medication adherence in the correctional setting. The imprisoned population in most correctional facilities depends on outside pharmacies to fill their prescriptions.

Additionally, an onsite pharmacist may be provided in some instances, but such staff is generally restricted, depending on a central location to supply drugs and an onsite nurse manager or similar to dispense. This bolsters the case for dispensing administration systems like unit dose packaging that are low-effort for personnel while yet being able to ensure patient adherence.

What is the growth outlook in China?

China driving growth with significant CAGR

The market in China is expected to grow with a significant CAGR of 6.9% throughout the forecast period. Increasing health awareness among consumers in this region coupled with the inflating disposable income levels is expected to boost the growth of the pharmaceutical industry, thereby directly fuelling demand for unit-dose pharmaceutical packaging.

China dominated the Asia Pacific regional market in 2022 and is expected to retain this trend over the next ten years as well. Factors such as rising government initiatives, such as Healthy China 2020, increasing contract-manufacturing activities, and a burgeoning aging population are anticipated to propel growth in the region’s market.

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Category wise Insights

By Packaging Type, which segment will possess market hegemony?

Vials driving market growth by accumulating maximum share

Vials accounted for a 25.2% share in 2022, on the basis of packaging type. This segment is expected to account for a dominating share by accumulating over 35% share by end of the forecast period. Primary packaging like vials comes in direct contact with the drug which envelopes the drug and prevents it from contamination.

Further, it is often employed for dispensing and dosing drug contents. Packaging companies are concentrating on easy-to-open closures and integration of dispensing systems that deliver the right dose at the right time, which can aid the geriatric population in drug dosage. This aspect is estimated to boost segment growth in the forthcoming period.

By Material Type, which segment is expected to dominate the market?

Plastic to rule the market with maximum share

Plastics & polymers registered a maximum revenue share of 47.5% in 2022. This segment is anticipated to account for 47.9% of revenue share in 2023. Plastic offers a combination of properties, like physical, mechanical, electrical, and thermal characteristics.

Drug formulations generally employ plastic material packaging because it provides safety, reduces breakage, and is easy to manufacture and design.

Compared to glass, Polyethylene maintains a strong protective structure, provides moisture resistance, and can provide weight reduction by up to 90%, making shipping more cost-friendly. The qualities of PET can be further improved using colorants, Oxygen barriers and scavengers, Ultraviolet filters, and other additives to create packaging customized to a particular brand’s needs.

Start-ups in Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Market

Start-ups help in determining future growth opportunities in any market. These new entrants have the potential to generate high returns which directly benefits the expansion of any industry. These start-ups are typically more productive at transforming inputs into outputs with more flexibility and adaptability in nature, able to shift quickly in response to volatile market conditions. Some of the start-ups that will fuel the expansion of Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging market are

  • MedAvail Technologies provides a digital kiosk for automated medication dispensing. The self-service kiosk solution, the MedAvail MedCenter, helps in giving out prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications. The firm manufactures and designs pharmacist-controlled automated prescription medicine dispensing vaults. It is deemed for use in pharmacies, hospitals, and medical clinics, among others.
  • Hero is a creator of a smart pill dispensing device. It can hold multiple pills and can give out pills as per pre-set schedule. It can also be connected to a smartphone that can track if a pill has been missed and sends reminders and notifies the family members. Some other features are end-of-the-day summaries and multiple user sharing capability.
  • Synapse Medicine offers a virtual assistant for drug prescriptions. The platform provides critical information related to medical errors to telemedicine companies, healthcare professionals, hospitals, healthcare facilities, and other users. It received a total funding of USD 39 million from Korelya Capital, XAnge, MACSF, and 5 Other Investors.

Market Competition

The pharmaceutical unit dose packaging market is extremely competitive and consists of various key industry players. These players are heavily investing in manufacturing unit dose pharmaceutical packaging solutions.

The key industry players are: Gerresheimer AG, West Pharmaceuticals Services, Inc, Schott AG, SGD SA, Stevanato Group S.p.a., Klockner Pentaplast Group, UDG Healthcare plc., Amcor plc., Berry Global, Inc., Comar LLC, Constantia Flexibles Group GmbH, Nipro Corporation, Catalent Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company, Adelphi Healthcare Packaging, Winpak Ltd., Pacific Vial Manufacturing Inc., Sonoco Products Company, WestRock Company, AptarGroup, Inc.

Some recent developments in the market are

Key market players are leveraging on inorganic growth strategies like acquisition, mergers, partnerships, and collaboration in order to enhance their product portfolio. This is expected to fuel the global Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Market.

  • In May 2021, Gerresheimer launched a new platform for on body infusion pump SensAIR that can deliver drugs of high viscosity. It is simple to use and helps in self-determination of medication.
  • In January 2022, Berry Global Group and Raw Elements USA collaborated to introduce a sugarcane-based sustainable tube. The tubes are manufactured from waste sugarcane, which is converted into high-density polyethylene and low-density polyethylene to make a material with the same chemical composition as polyethylene obtained from fossil fuels.
  • In June 2021, Amcor PLC introduced the ACT2100 heat seal coating for use with medical-grade DuPont Tyvek2 and paper packaging. This innovative coating process enhances the performance characteristics of medical applications.

Report Scope

Report Attribute Details
Market Value in 2023 USD 34.2 billion
Market Value in 2033 USD 136 billion
Growth Rate CAGR of 14.8% from 2023 to 2033
Base Year for Estimation 2022
Historical Data 2018 to 2022
Forecast Period 2023 to 2033
Quantitative Units Revenue in USD billion and CAGR from 2023 to 2033
Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Volume Forecast, Company Ranking, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, Trends, and Pricing Analysis
Segments Covered Product, Material, End Use, Region
Regions Covered North America; Latin America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Middle East and Africa
Key Countries Profiled United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, GCC Countries, South Africa, Israel
Key Companies Profiled Gerresheimer AG; West Pharmaceuticals Services, Inc.; Schott AG; SGD SA; Stevanato Group S.p.a.; Klockner Pentaplast Group; UDG Healthcare plc.; Amcor plc.; Berry Global, Inc.; Comar LLC; Constantia Flexibles Group GmbH; Nipro Corporation; Catalent Inc.; Becton, Dickinson and Company; Adelphi Healthcare Packaging; Winpak Ltd.; Pacific Vial Manufacturing Inc.; Sonoco Products Company; WestRock Company; AptarGroup, Inc.
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Key Segments Profiled in the Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Industry Survey

By Product:

  • Blisters
  • Ampoules
  • Vials
  • Prefilled Syringes & Cartridges

By Material:

  • Plastic
    • Polyethylene
    • Polypropylene
    • Polyvinyl Chloride
    • Polyethylene Terephthalate
  • Aluminium
  • Glass
  • Paper & Paperboard

By End Use:

  • Ophthalmic
  • Injectable
  • Biologics
  • Wound Care
  • Respiratory Therapy
  • Orals

By Region:

  • North America
  • Latin America
  • Europe
  • Asia Pacific
  • Middle East & Africa

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the anticipated growth of the pharmaceutical unit dose packaging market until 2033?

FMI projects the global pharmaceutical unit dose packaging market to expand at 14.8% value CAGR by 2033.

What is the estimated market value of the pharmaceutical unit dose packaging market expected in 2033?

The global pharmaceutical unit dose packaging market is expected to garner a market value of USD 136 billion by 2033.

Which region is forecast to be the most lucrative for pharmaceutical unit dose packaging market growth?

FMI has projected China to be one of the most attractive regions for pharmaceutical unit dose packaging market.

Which region is expected to grow with fastest CAGR during the forecast period?

India is anticipated to grow at 7.9% CAGR throughout the forecast period.

By packaging type, which segment is expected to dominate the market by 2033?

Vials is expected to dominate the market by product type during the forecast period

By material type, which segment is most likely to lead the market?

Plastic is projected to lead the market with maximum share by end of the forecast period.

What was the market value of pharmaceutical unit dose packaging in 2018?

The market value of pharmaceutical unit dose packaging was worth USD 17.2 billion in 2018.

What is the expected market share of Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging devices in North America?

The market in North America is projected to account for 38.6 % market share by end of the forecast period.

Table of Content
  • 1. Executive Summary
  • 2. Market Overview
  • 3. Market Background
  • 4. Global Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Market Analysis 2018 to 2022 and Forecast, 2023 to 2033
  • 5. Global Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Market Analysis 2018 to 2022 and Forecast 2023 to 2033, By Product
    • 5.1. Blisters
    • 5.2. Ampoules
    • 5.3. Vials
    • 5.4. Prefilled Syringes Cartridges
  • 6. Global Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Market Analysis 2018 to 2022 and Forecast 2023 to 2033, By Material
    • 6.1. Plastic
      • 6.1.1. Polyethylene
      • 6.1.2. Polypropylene
      • 6.1.3. Poly vinyl chloride
      • 6.1.4. Polyethylene Terephthalate
    • 6.2. Aluminium
    • 6.3. Glass
    • 6.4. Paper & Paperboard
  • 7. Global Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Market Analysis 2018 to 2022 and Forecast 2023 to 2033, By End Use
    • 7.1. Ophthalmic
    • 7.2. Injectable
    • 7.3. Biologics
    • 7.4. Wound Care
    • 7.5. Respiratory Therapy
    • 7.6. Orals
  • 8. Global Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Market Analysis 2018 to 2022 and Forecast 2023 to 2033, By Region
    • 8.1. North America
    • 8.2. Latin America
    • 8.3. Europe
    • 8.4. Asia Pacific
    • 8.5. MEA
  • 9. North America Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Market Analysis 2018 to 2022 and Forecast 2023 to 2033, By Country
  • 10. Latin America Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Market Analysis 2018 to 2022 and Forecast 2023 to 2033, By Country
  • 11. Europe Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Market Analysis 2018 to 2022 and Forecast 2023 to 2033, By Country
  • 12. Asia Pacific Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Market Analysis 2018 to 2022 and Forecast 2023 to 2033, By Country
  • 13. MEA Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Market Analysis 2018 to 2022 and Forecast 2023 to 2033, By Country
  • 14. Key Countries Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Market Analysis
  • 15. Market Structure Analysis
  • 16. Competition Analysis
    • 16.1. Gerresheimer AG
    • 16.2. West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
    • 16.3. Schott AG
    • 16.4. Stevanato Group S.p.a.
    • 16.5. Klockner Pentaplast Group
    • 16.6. Amcor plc
    • 16.7. Berry Global, Inc.
    • 16.8. Constantia Flexibles Group GmbH
    • 16.9. Nipro Corporation
    • 16.10. Becton, Dickinson and Company
  • 17. Assumptions & Acronyms Used
  • 18. Research Methodology
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