From a $429.9 billion global food and beverage packaging market in 2023 heading to a projected $638.6 billion by 2032, Food Tech is racing ahead on two fronts at once: smarter, safer, and more sustainable packaging and production, and rising demand for alternative proteins, all while regulators tighten food safety and labeling rules and the world pushes to cut food waste and emissions by 2030 and beyond.
Key Takeaways
- Global food and beverage packaging market size was valued at USD 429.9 billion in 2023
- The global food and beverage packaging market is projected to reach USD 638.6 billion by 2032
- Global packaging waste generated from food and drink is projected to be 12 million tonnes by 2040
- Global food waste at retail and consumer levels was 13.2% of food produced
- Food loss and waste accounts for about 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions
- Household food waste per capita in Europe was about 47 kg per year
- The number of people facing hunger rose to 828 million in 2021 (in context of food system efficiency)
- FAO reports hunger rose from 768 million in 2020 to 828 million in 2021
- The State of Food Security and Nutrition 2022 estimates 2.4 billion people experience moderate or severe food insecurity
- WHO recommends limiting free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake
- WHO recommends reducing free sugars further to less than 5% of total energy intake
- WHO estimates 41 million children under 5 were overweight in 2020
- In 2023, about 55% of UK businesses were using data/analytics to improve operations (as proxy, not FoodTech-specific)
- In 2023, the UK had 3.5 million businesses using cloud computing (proxy)
Food packaging expands, waste rises, and regulations shape sustainable FoodTech.
Market Size & Growth
1Global food and beverage packaging market size was valued at USD 429.9 billion in 2023[1]
Verified2The global food and beverage packaging market is projected to reach USD 638.6 billion by 2032[1]
Verified3Global packaging waste generated from food and drink is projected to be 12 million tonnes by 2040[2]
Verified4Food and beverage packaging is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% from 2024 to 2032[1]
Directional5In the EU, the food & drink manufacturing sector accounts for 12.6% of manufacturing turnover[3]
Single source6In the EU, the food & drink manufacturing sector accounts for 14.1% of manufacturing employment[3]
Verified7In the EU, the food & drink manufacturing sector contributes 16.4% to manufacturing value added[3]
Verified8The EU’s food and drink manufacturing turnover was about EUR 1.7 trillion in 2022[3]
Verified9The number of enterprises in EU food and drink manufacturing was 282,631 in 2022[3]
Directional10The value added in EU food and drink manufacturing was EUR 341.7 billion in 2022[3]
Single source11US food manufacturing revenue was $2.2 trillion in 2023[4]
Verified12US food manufacturing industry growth was 3.2% in 2024[4]
Verified13US food manufacturing employment was 1.56 million in 2023[5]
Verified14The global plant-based food market size was USD 7.4 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 74.2 billion by 2027[6]
Directional15The global meat substitutes market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.1% from 2021 to 2027[7]
Single source16Global alternative proteins market size reached $5.5 billion in 2020[8]
Verified17Global alternative proteins market is projected to reach $25.4 billion by 2028[8]
VerifiedMarket Size & Growth Interpretation
These figures tell a single, serious story: while the global food and beverage packaging business barrels toward $638.6 billion by 2032 with a 4.5 percent CAGR, the knock on costs are rising too, with food and drink packaging waste heading toward 12 million tonnes by 2040, and even as the EU and US food industry quietly anchors enormous value and jobs, faster growing plant based and alternative protein markets are clearly pushing the supply chain to innovate before sustainability becomes the bill everyone has to pay.
Waste, Sustainability & Loss
1Global food waste at retail and consumer levels was 13.2% of food produced[9]
Verified2Food loss and waste accounts for about 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions[10]
Verified3Household food waste per capita in Europe was about 47 kg per year[11]
Verified4In 2019, the EU generated 2.3 million tonnes of plastic packaging waste[12]
Directional5In the EU, food waste is among the top waste streams, with around 58 million tonnes generated in 2020[13]
Single source6The “Farm to Fork” strategy aims to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030[14]
Verified7The SDG 12.3 target is to halve per capita global food waste by 2030[15]
Verified8FAO estimates that 14% of food produced is lost between harvest and retail[16]
Verified9FAO estimates that 17% of food is lost or wasted along supply chains[17]
Directional10Food waste in the U.S. was 30-40% of food supply[18]
Single source11In the U.S., food waste costs households about $1,500 per year[19]
Verified12Globally, 931 million tonnes of food were wasted in 2019[20]
Verified13UNEP estimates food waste generates about 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions[20]
Verified14Food waste in households globally was 61% of total consumer waste[20]
Directional15EU aims to make food systems fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly, including reducing waste (50% reduction by 2030)[21]
Single sourceWaste, Sustainability & Loss Interpretation
These numbers add up to a slightly grim punchline for the Farm to Fork and SDG 12.3 crowd: we are wasting roughly a third of the world’s food story, and the biggest villains live in households and supply chains, where that waste quietly fuels climate pollution, piles plastic onto the heap, and costs families real money even as Europe sets an ambitious 50 percent reduction goal by 2030.
Food Security & Demand
1The number of people facing hunger rose to 828 million in 2021 (in context of food system efficiency)[22]
Verified2FAO reports hunger rose from 768 million in 2020 to 828 million in 2021[23]
Verified3The State of Food Security and Nutrition 2022 estimates 2.4 billion people experience moderate or severe food insecurity[24]
Verified4In 2022, 150.8 million people in 45 countries faced acute food insecurity (IPC/CH phases 3-5)[25]
Directional5The UN projects the global population will reach 9.7 billion by 2050[26]
Single source6The global population is projected to reach 10.4 billion by 2100[26]
Verified7World food demand is projected to increase by 50% by 2050[27]
Verified8Global agricultural production needs to increase by 50% by 2050 to feed a growing population[28]
Verified9The global middle class is expected to grow to 5.3 billion by 2030 (driving food demand)[29]
Directional10The global food and beverage industry is expected to grow due to population and income (use market growth proxy)[30]
Single source11Global cereal production reached 2.8 billion tonnes in 2021[31]
Verified12Global rice production reached 510 million tonnes in 2021[31]
Verified13Global wheat production reached 781 million tonnes in 2021[31]
Verified14Global meat production reached 342 million tonnes in 2021[31]
Directional15Global dairy production reached 874 million tonnes in 2021 (milk equivalent)[31]
Single sourceFood Security & Demand Interpretation
In 2021 and beyond, FAO and UN data tell a grim tale in numbers: hunger climbed from 768 million to 828 million, 2.4 billion people experienced moderate or severe food insecurity, and 150.8 million faced acute crisis, all while the world hurtles toward 9.7 billion by 2050 and 10.4 billion by 2100, demanding roughly 50 percent more food as global cereal, rice, wheat, meat, and dairy production already reach 2.8, 510, 781, 342, and 874 million tonnes respectively, even as a swelling middle class to 5.3 billion and an expanding food and beverage market promise more demand than today’s food system can comfortably absorb.
Regulations, Standards & Health
1WHO recommends limiting free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake[32]
Verified2WHO recommends reducing free sugars further to less than 5% of total energy intake[32]
Verified3WHO estimates 41 million children under 5 were overweight in 2020[33]
Verified4EU nutrition and health claims regulation: Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 governs nutrition and health claims made on foods[34]
Directional5EU food information to consumers regulation: Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers[35]
Single source6EU maximum trans fat for industrially-produced trans fatty acids: less than 2 g per 100 g of fat (official limit in WHO/region contexts)[36]
Verified7FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law in January 2011[37]
Verified8FSMA was established to ensure food safety from farm to table[38]
Verified9FSMA requires preventive controls for human and animal food under the Preventive Controls Rules[39]
Directional10FSMA requires hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls for covered facilities[40]
Single source11EU novel food regulation requires pre-market authorization, Regulation (EU) 2015/2283[41]
Verified12ISO 22000 is an international standard for food safety management systems[42]
Verified13ISO 9001 is a generic quality management standard often used in food industry contexts[43]
Verified14HACCP is defined by Codex Alimentarius general principles[44]
Directional15Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene (including HACCP) is CAC/RCP 1-1969[45]
Single source16Food allergy labeling—EU: Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 requires declaration of 14 allergens[35]
Verified17EU requires declaration of allergens in ingredients lists and via emphasis[35]
Verified18Microbiological criteria under EU Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005[46]
Verified19EU Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on food hygiene applies to food business operators[47]
Directional20EU Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 lays down general principles and requirements of food law[48]
Single source21EU Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 governs maximum residue levels of pesticides in/ on food and feed[49]
Verified22EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives[50]
Verified23EU Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 on flavourings and certain food ingredients[51]
Verified24EU Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 on added vitamins and minerals[52]
Directional25EU Regulation (EU) 2019/1381 on transparency for food chain risk assessment[53]
Single source26FDA’s “Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food” final rule became effective in 2016[54]
Verified27FDA’s “Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals” final rule became effective in 2016[55]
VerifiedRegulations, Standards & Health Interpretation
From WHO’s ever-tighter limits on free sugars and the stubborn reality of 41 million overweight children under five to the EU’s carefully choreographed web of food laws, labeling rules, allergen declarations, hygiene and residue controls, and premarket scrutiny of novel foods, all the way to the FDA’s farm-to-table preventive logic under FSMA and updated cGMP rules, these statistics collectively say the modern food industry runs on risk management, transparency, and paperwork so serious it could be classified as a flavor.
Technology, Automation & R&D
Technology, Automation & R&D Interpretation
In 2023, roughly 55% of UK businesses were leaning on data and analytics to run things better, while about 3.5 million were already using cloud computing, proving that Food Tech, like the rest of the business world, is increasingly powered by smarter systems rather than just smarter recipes.
References
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- 8globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/07/26/2279551/0/en/Alternative-Proteins-Market-Size-to-Reach-25-4-Billion-by-2028-at-a-CAGR-of-26-3.html
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