Features:
- Run lengths of less than 1,000m2 will see the largest increase between 2022 and 2027, with a projected growth rate of 16.2%
- Run lengths greater than 15,000m2 have the largest share of the market in 2022 and this will remain the case to 2027
- In 2022, 78.7% of all printed packaging was produced in run lengths that exceeded 5km2.
This report provides a comprehensive overview of the landscape and trends driving run lengths for labels and all formats of printed packaging. It provides critical insight and data to assist print OEMs and operators to identify new commercial opportunities, and make confident business decisions within a rapidly transforming print value chain. It authoritatively examines the leading print buying trends driving shorter and longer run lengths, backed by specific analysis and forecasts in major end-use application. Detailed run length forecasts are given for individual analogue and digital print processes, further sub-divided across leading regions
Our exclusive content
- In Europe, deeper penetration of digital and hybrid in the labels markets and growing adoption in the broader sectors of flexibles and board, along with increased competition and language requirements for SKUs, will continue the downward trend for average run lengths
- In North America there is increased adoption of digital and hybrid technologies across broader packaging sectors. Popularity of flexo printing will help support the growth of product variety and SKU proliferation driving shorter run lengths. Growth in marketing initiatives for mass customization and individualized packaging will continue the downward trend on run lengths.
What will you discover?
Across the packaging and label industries, print ordering, design and delivery all have to respond to new exigencies. Print service providers must pursue new revenue. OEMs must act to secure future sales. These changes are examined in detail, with a specific emphasis on how they will transform print runs in leading packaging segments. This is quantified, with additional insights into where print can capitalise on FMCG marketing departments' willingness to pay a premium for customisation, responsiveness in designs, and quicker order turnarounds, as the market moves towards on-demand ordering.
The Smithers methodology
This report is based on extensive primary and secondary research. Primary research consisted of targeted interviews with material suppliers, converters and experts drawn from key markets. This was supported by secondary research in the form of extensive literature analysis of published data, official government statistics, domestic and international trade organisation data, company websites, industry reports, trade press articles, presentations, and attendance at trade events.
About the author
Andy Cook has over 35 years of hands-on knowledge of digital imaging technology in the fields of digital pathology and digital printing for packaging. He has a proven track record of developing strong customer relationships, market knowledge and leading diverse development teams, including winning four Queens Awards for Innovation. Andy has a particular passion for product packaging design and innovation.
Who should buy the report?
- Materials suppliers
- Packaging converters
- Package printers
- Equipment and machinery suppliers
- Brand owners and retailers
- Industry consultant and analysts
Table of Contents
Executive summary
Introduction & methodology
- Introduction
- Objectives
- Scope
- Methodology
- Definitions
- Primer on run lengths
Key drivers and trends
- Introduction
- The run length relationship with the SKU
- What drives the number of SKUs?
Run length by print process
- Introduction
- Impact of future press productivity gains
- The complexities of packaging printing process choice
- Shorter run lengths with analogue
- Digital
- Electrophotography
- Inkjet
- Run lengths with analogue press technology
- Flexography
- Recent trends for flexography
- Flexo / digital hybrid presses
- Offset print technology
- Gravure print technology
- Different regions and different requirements
- Recent trends and developments
- Comparative cost model
- Cost model elements
Impact of changing run lengths on packaging: Food packaging
- Introduction
- Packaging types
- Primary and secondary packaging
- Trends related to run lengths in food packaging
- Introduction
- SKU changes
- Environmental pressures
- Digitisation and online sales
- Run lengths summary
- Food market summary
- Beverage market hierarchy relationship to run lengths
- Food segments
- Trends in the confectionery and snacks market
- Health consciousness
- High volumes, focused on cost
- Trends in pet food
- Trends in baby food
- Label and packaging trends
Sustainability and environmental concerns
- The changing face of brands
- Sustainability and environmental impact
- Digitisation front and back ends
- Healthy lifestyles
- Demographics
- Global drivers
- Drivers for short run lengths
Run lengths by packaging and label types
- Introduction
- Flexible packaging
- Corrugated
- Cartons
- Rigid plastic packaging
- Metal packaging
- Labels
Geographic markets
- Introduction
- Run lengths
- Europe and North America
- Packaging and labels
- Labels » Pressure sensitive label printing » Glue applied labels printing » In-mould label printing » Sleeve label printing output
- Packaging » Corrugated package printing » Carton printing output » Flexible packaging » Rigid plastic packaging » Metal packaging
- Asia
Impact of changing run lengths on packaging: Beverage packaging
- Introduction
- Market size
- Segmentation and definitions
- Non-alcoholic definitions
- Alcoholic definitions - Wine types - Distilled spirits
- Segmentation summary
- Printing trends
- Environmental pressures
- Digitisation and online sales
- Limited editions
- Primary packaging formats, decoration types and trends
- Plastic bottle decoration - Wraparound labels - Shrink sleeves - PS-labels
- Direct printing
- Label free branding
- Glass bottle decoration
- Labels
- Shrink sleeves
- Direct digital
- Metal cans trends and decoration
- Analogue print
- PS-label
- Shrink sleeves
- Direct digital
- Cartons
- Secondary packaging trends, formats and decoration types
- Analogue printed / finished
- Digital printed / finished
- Use of digital short run for marketing
- Personalisation
- Mass randomisation
- Run lengths summary
- Beverages market summary
- Beverage market hierarchy relationship to run lengths
- Packaged water - an example
- Non-alcoholic segments
- Trends in the non-alcoholic drinks market
- Health consciousness
- High volumes, focused on cost
- Non-alcoholic drinks segments
- End-user markets » Packaged water » Premium water brands » Size and structure » Market hierarchy » Competitive landscape
- Label and packaging trends » Bottles » Cans » Cartons » Secondary packaging » Run length trends » Label convertors
- Soft drinks
- Size and structure
- Market hierarchy
- Competitive landscape
- Label and packaging trends
- Environmental
- Product cost
- Marketing campaigns
- Transition to metal cans
- Bottles
- Cans
- Secondary packaging
- Run length trends
- Label converters
- Juice
- Size and structure
- Market hierarchy
- Competitive landscape
- Label and packaging trends
- Cartons
- Bottles
- Cans
- Secondary packaging
- Run length trends
- Label converters
- Functional drinks
- Size and structure
- Market hierarchy
- Competitive landscape
- Label and packaging trends
- Alcoholic drinks segments
- Trends in alcoholic drinks
- End-user markets
- Beer
- Wine
- Distilled spirits
Key Facts and Figures
- Global printed packaging run lengths to 2027
- Notional relative merits of print
- Simplistic summary comparing print types
- Run lengths by label type
- Run lengths by packaging type
- Run length changes by end user application and by print type
- Regional average run length trends to 2027
- Levels of product labelling and packaging
- Costs for each main print type
- Trends and drivers for run lengths and batch sizes
- Printed packaging application types - run length trends to 2027
- Digitialisation trends and run length implications to 2027
- Global brand sustainability initiatives affecting packaging design
- Average global run lengths by print type
- Total package & label printing output by process, 2017-27 (million m2 and $ million)
- Relative strengths and weaknesses of print types
- Total package & label printing output by process, digital printing processes, 2017-27 (million m2 and $ million)
- Total package & label printing output by process, analogue printing processes, 2017-27 (million m2 and $ million)
- Run length changes for flexo press types
- Primary printed packaging format used for food
- Packaging types by end use
- Printed packaging run lengths, %, 2022-27
- Beverage market size
- Price premium of personalised beverage cans
- Unit prices ($) US versus ASEAN
- Soft drinks, market size, packaging units
- Market share of carbonated soft drink market, %
- Juice market size, total packaging units
- Global alcoholic drinks sales ($ billion)
- Global unit values alcoholic drinks
- Global unit values North America compared to ASEAN
- Beer market, market share, home vs out-of-home
- Number of micro brewers by country
- Top 40 beer producers worldwide
- Trends for each beer format type
- Average run lengths labelled bottles and cans
- Annual global sales ($ billion) by wine type
- Unit sales price ($) by wine type
- Largest wine producers ranked by global market share
- Top wine in cans sellers
- Run lengths for printed wine cans
- Average run lengths - printed labels
- Run lengths, distilled spirits
- Major spirits producers per drink type, volumes and market share (2021)
- Spirit producers, number of brands
- Average run lengths, gin bottles, North America, UK
- Europe/North America: overall package & label printing output by process and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: overall package & label printing output by process and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: overall package & label printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: overall package & label printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: overall package & label printing output by type and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: overall package & label printing output by type and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: overall label printing output by process and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: overall label printing output by process and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: overall label printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: overall label printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: pressure sensitive label printing output by process and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: pressure sensitive label printing output by process and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: pressure sensitive label printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: pressure sensitive label printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: glue-applied label printing output by process and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: glue-applied label printing output by process and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: glue-applied label printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: glue-applied label printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: in-mould label printing output by process and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: in-mould label printing output by process and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: in-mould label printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: in-mould label printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: sleeve label printing output by process and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: sleeve label printing output by process and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: sleeve label printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: sleeve label printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: corrugated package printing output by process and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: corrugated package printing output by process and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: corrugated package printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: corrugated package printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: carton printing output by process and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: carton printing output by process and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: carton printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: carton printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: flexible package printing output by process and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: flexible package printing output by process and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: flexible package printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: flexible package printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: rigid plastic package printing output by process and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: rigid plastic package printing output by process and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: rigid plastic package printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: rigid plastic package printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: metal package printing output by process and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: metal package printing output by process and by run length, 2027 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: metal package printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2022 (million m2)
- Europe/North America: metal package printing output by end-use market and by run length, 2027 (million m2)