This report dives into the functional & barrier coatings market for paper and board, split by coating type, end-use and region, with a spotlight on technological developments and key trends.
Key facts:
- The functional and barrier coatings market is expected to show consistent annual volume growth of almost 4% between 2025 and 2030
- In 2025, consumption of functional and barrier coatings for paper and board packaging is expected to reach 3.6 million tonnes
Functional and barrier coatings utilised in paper and board packaging materials encompass a diverse array of substances. Their primary purpose is to establish a barrier against the penetration or exit of water, water vapor, oils, greases, oxygen, and aromas, thereby ensuring the integrity of the packaged products. The functional and barrier materials covered by this report are: thermoplastic polymers, high-barrier polymers, aluminium, wax, silicone, fluorochemicals.
The growth of this market is predicted to bring about a further $2 billion market value growth from 2025-30, with a uniform regional volume spread characterised 2020; by 2025, this shifts to Asia-Pacific. Material type is strongest in thermoplastic polymers, with two-thirds of the global market volume in 2025.
Key questions in this report:
- How are economic shifts and changes in lifestyle affecting the need for barrier coatings?
- What is the balance between petroleum derived and bio-based or compostable functional and barrier coating?
- Who is collaborating in the industry and how is this impacting technological developments?
- How are regulations affecting material choices for functional and barrier coatings?
This report is essential to
- Packaging raw material suppliers
- Packaging converters and manufacturers
- Retailers and brand owners
Table of Contents
Executive summary
Introduction and methodology
- Introduction
- Objectives
- Scope
- Methodology
- Definitions
- Materials
- Regions/Countries
- Americas
- EMEA
- Asia-Pacific
- End-use sectors
- Changes from previous editions
- Market drivers for functional and barrier coatings 2025-30
- Introduction
- Global economic influences
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
- Household consumption expenditure (HCE)
- Population
- Urbanisation
- Demographic trends
- Smaller households and family units
- Smaller unit packaging
- Internet and e-commerce
- Retail trends
- Market size
- Future prospects
- Leading players
- Discount model supermarkets
- Globalisation of retail markets
- Growing demand for paper-based packaging
- Replacement of plastic materials
- Regulations
- European regulations
- US regulations
- Raw material pricing
- Oil
- LDPE
- Aluminium
Cutting-edge technology developments in functional and barrier coatings
- Bio-materials
- Microfibrillated cellulose (MFC)
- Mineral-based coatings
- Seaweed
- Compostability
- Developments in PFAS
- Recycling
- Mineral oil barriers
- Future technology evolution
Functional and barrier coatings market by coating type 2025-30
- Introduction
- Global market overview
- Supply chain analysis
- Overview of coating types
- Geographic overview
- Application overview
- Thermoplastic polymers
- Description
- Major formats and end uses
- Focus on acrylic coatings
- Current and future market and technical prospects
- High-barrier polymers
- Description
- Major formats and end uses
- Current and future market and technical prospects
- Aluminium
- Description
- Major formats and end uses
- Current and future market and technical prospects
- Wax
- Description
- Major formats and end uses
- Current and future market and technical prospects
- Silicone
- Description
- Major formats and end uses
- Current and future market and technical prospects
- Fluorochemicals
- Description
- Major formats and end uses
- Current and future market and technical prospects
- Application processes
- Water-based
- Description
- Current and future market and technical prospects
- Solvent-based
- Description
- Current and future market and technical prospects
- Solid
- Description
- Current and future market and technical prospects
End-use markets for functional and barrier coated paper and board packaging 2025-30
- End-use overview
- Fresh food
- Chilled food
- Frozen food
- Fruit and perishables
- Foodservice
- Non-liquid dairy
- Bakery
- Other food
- Pet food
- Beverages and liquids
- Liquid dairy products
- Juices/dilutables
- Liquid foods
- Liquid non-foods
- Coating consumption
- Healthcare
- Personal care
- Other products
Geographic markets for functional and barrier coatings in paperboard 2025-30
- Introduction
- Global rankings
- Volume
- Value
- Compound annual growth rate (CAGR)
- Value per capita
- North America
- United States
- Canada
- Mexico
- South & Central America
- Brazil
- Other South America
- Europe
- Western Europe
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Spain
- United Kingdom
- Other Western Europe
- Eastern Europe
- Poland
- Russia
- Other Eastern Europe
- Middle East
- Turkiye
- Other Middle East
- Africa
- Asia-Pacific
- China
- India
- Japan
- Other Asia
- Australasia
FIGURES
- Geographic demand for functional and barrier coatings in 2024
- Regional distribution of coating volumes, 2024 and 2030
- Growth rates by geographic location, CAGR%, 2025-30
- Types of functional and barrier coatings on paper and board packaging in 2024
- Growth rates by coating type, CAGR%, 2025-30
- End-use applications for functional and barrier coatings in 2024
- Growth rates by end-use application, CAGR%, 2025-30
- Incremental volume growth by end use, '000 tonnes, 2025-30
- Global economic growth projections (%), 2024-26
- Global household consumer spending ($ billion), 2018-23
- Household consumer spending in selected countries ($ billion), 2023
- Global population size (billion people), 2000-24
- Global population by region (%), 2023
- Global rural vs urban population (billion people), 2000-22
- Global e-commerce market ($ billion), 2021-27
- The world's leading discount retailers by store numbers, 2024/2025
- Value share taken by private label countries in selected European countries (%), 2024
- Walmart bettergoods private label range
- Example of Ingredion coating on flexible paper packaging
- Example of Peliculas y Pelypes mono-material flexible packaging
- Example of Kapag/Sappi Changemaker pack
- Example of Mondi FunctionalBarrier Paper Ultimate packs
- Smurfit WestRock bumblebee transportation box
- Oil price trends
- LDPE film price trends (Index)
- Aluminium closing prices (US$/tonne)
- Xampla food packs with Morro coating
- Qwarzo coffee cups for Starbucks
- Metpack/BASF compostable barrier coating
- Foodservice packs with Archroma coating
- Tetra Pak/Lactogal milk carton
- Coveris/Notpla foodservice packs
- Mondi's re/cycle FunctionalBarrier paper
- Examples of HyperBarrier packs
- Supply chain analysis
- Regional distribution of coating volumes, 2024 and 2030
- Distribution of coating volumes across pack types, 2024
- Segmentation according to application method, 2024 ('000 tonnes)
- CJ Biomaterials' PHA coated compostable noodle cup
- SEE's CRYOVAC brand Barrier Formable Paper tray
- Huhtamaki's 'Taste' hot food containers
- Celebration Packaging's EnviroWare cups
- Novolex's Power Prep wraps and bags
- Lantmannen Unibake/UPM/Adara Pakkaus bread box
- Coveris/Notpla foodservice packs
- Delfort/Henkel barrier paper
- Parkside's Recoflex metallised barrier paper
- Huhtamaki's OmniLock Ultra Paper
- Paramelt's Nowax and Aquaseal
- Whole Foods refill pack
- Drewsen PROSEAL packs
- North America, volume market share of coating types, 2024 and 2030
- South & Central America, volume market share of coating types, 2024 and 2030
- Europe, volume market share of coating types, 2024 and 2030
- Western Europe, volume market share of coating types, 2024 and 2030
- Eastern Europe, volume market share of coating types, 2024 and 2030
- Middle East, volume market share of coating types, 2024 and 2030
- Africa, volume market share of coating types, 2024 and 2030
- Asia-Pacific, volume market share of coating types, 2024 and 2030
TABLES
- Historic and forecast global volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings for paper and board packaging by coating type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
- Typical coating weights for functional and barrier coatings for paperboard by coating type (gsm active solids)
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings by geographic region, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
- Volume demand for functional and barrier coatings for paper and board packaging by application, 2024
- Market penetration of coatings for paper and board packaging by application, 2024
- For each coating type:
- Major formats for functional and barrier coatings by pack type (2024)
- Major end uses for functional and barrier coatings, 2024
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings by geographic region, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
- Historic and forecast volume demand for functional and barrier coatings by application process, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes)
List of coating types:
- Thermoplastic polyners
- High-barrier polymers
- Aluminium
- Wax
- Silicone
- Fluorochemicals
- Water-based
- Solvent-based
- Solid
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings for paper and board packaging by end-use market, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
For each end-use market:
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings by geographic region, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings by coating type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
List of end-use markets:
- Fresh food
- Chilled food
- Frozen food
- Fruit and perishables
- Foodservice
- Non-liquid dairy
- Bakery
- Other food
- Pet food
- Beverages
- Healthcare
- Personal care
- Other products
- Global ranking of countries by volume and value of coating materials consumed, 2024 and 2030
- Global ranking of countries by compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of coating material volume consumption, CAGR% 2025-30
- Global ranking of countries by value per capita of coating materials consumption, 2024
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings in North America by coating type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
For each country:
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings by coating type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
List of countries:
- US
- Canada
- Mexico
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings in South & Central America by coating type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
For each country:
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings by coating type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
List of countries:
- Brazil
- Other South & Central America
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings in Europe by coating type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings in Western Europe by coating type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
For each country:
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings by coating type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
List of countries:
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Spain
- UK
- Other Western Europe
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings in Eastern Europe by coating type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
For each country:
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings by coating type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
List of countries:
- Poland
- Russia
- Other Eastern Europe
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings in Middle East by coating type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
For each country:
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings by coating type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
List of countries:
- Turkiye
- Other Middle East
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings in Africa by coating type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings in Asia-Pacific by coating type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
For each country:
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings by coating type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)
List of countries:
- China
- India
- Japan
- Other Asia
- Historic and forecast volume and value demand for functional and barrier coatings in Australasia by coating type, 2020-30 ('000 tonnes, $ million)