Europe Paper Packaging Market Summary 2025

Market Size in 2024: USD 54.5 Billion
Market Forecast in 2033: USD 75.6 Billion
Market Growth Rate 2025-2033: 3.52%

The Europe paper packaging market is projected to advance at a compound annual growth rate of 3.52% from 2025 to 2033. Valued at USD 54.5 billion in 2024, the market is expected to reach USD 75.6 billion by 2033. This steady expansion is driven by regulatory bans on single-use plastics, rising e-commerce demand for recyclable wrapping, and aggressive corporate sustainability commitments that favor fiber-based, circular packaging solutions.

Europe Paper Packaging Market Growth Drivers:

EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation 2025

The revised PPWR, enforced from July 2025, mandates 65% recycled content in paper mailers and sets a 2040 reuse target for transport packaging. Member states must transpose penalties by December, pushing major retailers like Carrefour and Ahold Delhaize to switch 1.8 billion plastic mailers to certified recycled paper versions in 2025. The regulation accelerates demand for high-strength kraft and test-liner grades that maintain durability while meeting recycled-content thresholds.

German Federal E-Commerce Parcel Subsidy

Germany’s BMUV allocated EUR 250 million in January 2025 to reimburse e-commerce merchants EUR 0.08 per plastic-free shipment. Within six months, 42,000 online shops migrated to corrugated and padded-paper mailers, cutting plastic consumption by 9,200 tonnes. The subsidy narrows the cost gap between plastic and paper, enabling small retailers to adopt right-sized fiber packaging without margin erosion, thereby normalizing paper as the default shipping medium.

Circular Design Alliances in the Nordic Region

A cross-industry pact signed in March 2025 brings together Stora Enso, IKEA and Maersk to develop reusable, flat-pack paper pallets that replace wooden equivalents. Pilot data show a 28% reduction in transport weight and 12% lower CO2 emissions. Successful trials in Sweden and Denmark encourage rollout across EU-5, stimulating demand for moisture-barrier coatings and high-performance fluting that withstands multiple reuse cycles.

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Europe Paper Packaging Market Segmentation:

Breakup by Product Type:

• Corrugated Boxes
• Folding Boxes and Cases
• Liquid Paperboard Cartons
• Paper Bags and Sacks
• Others

Breakup by Grade:

• Solid Bleached
• Coated Recycled
• Uncoated Recycled
• Others

Breakup by Packaging Level:

• Primary Packaging
• Secondary Packaging
• Tertiary Packaging

Breakup by End Use Industry:

• Food
• Beverages
• Personal Care and Home Care
• Healthcare
• Others

Breakup by Country:

• Germany
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Spain
• Others

Top European Paper Packaging Companies:

• Smurfit Westrock
• DS Smith PLC
• Mondi Group
• Hamburger Containerboard GmbH
• Paper factory Palm GmbH & Co. KG
• Metsa Board Oyj
• Progroup AG
• Emin Leydier SA
• Swedish Cellulose Corporation SCA
• Stora Enso Oyj
• International Paper Company

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Europe Paper Packaging Market News:

• In April 2025, Smurfit Westrock inaugurated a 600,000 tonne-per-year recycled containerboard mill in Zilina, Slovakia, targeting Central European e-commerce demand.
• Mondi Group launched a water-based barrier coating in May 2025 that replaces plastic laminates in food folding cartons, achieving full recyclability in paper streams.
• The French government raised the plastic packaging eco-modulation fee to EUR 500 per tonne in June 2025, accelerating brand switches to molded-fiber food trays.
• DS Smith unveiled a 3-D printed corrugated design center in July 2025, cutting prototype lead times to 24 hours and enabling rapid customization for FMCG clients.

Key highlights of the Report:

• Market Performance (2019-2024)
• Market Outlook (2025-2033)
• COVID-19 Impact on the Market
• Porter’s Five Forces Analysis
• Strategic Recommendations
• Historical, Current and Future Market Trends
• Market Drivers and Success Factors
• SWOT Analysis
• Structure of the Market
• Value Chain Analysis
• Comprehensive Mapping of the Competitive Landscape

Note: If you need specific information that is not currently within the scope of the report, we can provide it to you as part of the customization.

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