Freedonia Study Looks at Barrier Films

Published: May 18, 2017

CLEVELAND, OH | The Freedonia Group has issued a new study entitled Barrier Films Market in the US, The study says demand for oxygen and other gas barrier films is forecast to increase 4.1% annually to $4.1 billion in 2021, with growth driven by demand for higher performing gas barriers that prolong product lifespan. Gains are expected to be restrained by the relatively high cost of manufacturing new film structures, which can sometimes involve investment in new processing machinery.

The food packaging market accounted for 77% of demand for oxygen and other gas barrier films in 2016. According to analyst Ellen Kriz, “Oxygen can induce food spoilage in a number of ways and otherwise damage the texture or visual appeal of almost any kind of food.” Other applications for gas barrier films include pharmaceutical packaging, agricultural silage and fumigation films, and protective films for photovoltaic modules, flexible electronics, and other durable goods.

The pharmaceutical and medical products packaging market will see healthy growth through 2021, says the study, due to increased pharmaceutical shipments. Oxygen barriers protect the reactive constituents of medications and the nutritional content of vitamins and other supplements. Moreover, new drug formulations require higher barriers. For example, as the particle size of medications decreases to facilitate absorption in the body, a more robust oxygen barrier is required.

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