The latest research from Smithers shows global demand for sustainable barrier coatings in packaging will reach $9.2 billion in 2025, consuming a total of 3.7 million tonnes of coatings. Innovation in coating composition and application technology is fuelling growth in the segment. Expert forecasting in the new Smithers market report – The Future of Sustainable Barrier Coatings to 2030 – shows demand will increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8% through to 2030. This will create a total market value of $11.7 billion in 2030 at constant pricing; with consumption reaching 4.6 million tonnes.

The move to more sustainable barrier coatings, including more bio-based, easy-to-recycle, and biodegradable grades, has been led by brand owner commitments. These have been supplemented by new legal requirements – Smithers analysis identifies the following three main influences: 

Single-use plastics 
Laws to ban single-use plastics in food service packaging have proliferated in the past five years. Many have begun with restricting the same 10 formats identified in the EU Single-use Plastics Directive 2019/904, generating pressure to eliminate disposable plastic cups, plates, straws, and cutlery from food service businesses. 

Multiple pulp-based food-service alternatives have been developed with barriers that protect paper fibres against water, fats, and oils. This will help makes foodservice the fastest growing market for new barrier coatings across 2025-2030. Demand for biodegradable barrier coating on papers and board is especially high, as collection rates for discarded foodservice packs are lower than for conventional packaging. 

PPWR criteria 
Published in January, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) 2025/40 is set to be the next EU legislation whose impact will be felt beyond the bloc’s borders. Besides requiring an increase in recycling rates, the European Commission envisages drafting design-for-recyclability criteria for 22 different packaging types. These will consider not just the base material; but also adhesives, closures, and coatings specifically.

The PPWR’s emphasis is on recyclability, and these criteria will penalise any coating that impacts the recovery of high quality  pulp or polymer recyclate at end of life – bolstering the need for coatings that can separate without specialised processing and lower grammage coatings. These criteria are not simply guidance, once they become operable in 2030, they will be used to rank different packaging types, and force less-recyclable designs off the EU market. 

EPR schemes 
Across the world there are new financial imperatives to adopt greener coatings. Many jurisdictions – including Australia, Canda, EU member states, the UK, South Africa, and ten US states – have implemented Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes.

EPR fees make manufacturers and brands fully or partially responsible for paying for the environmental impact of packaging they use. This creates momentum to switch to paperboard materials with coatings that do not compromise the recovery of paper pulp. 

The Future of Sustainable Barrier Coatings to 2030 analyses the latest trends and technologies in this dynamic segment, and their future impact on packaging selection, design, and cost.