The labels market globally is anticipated to reach up to USD 76.7 billion by the year 2025 and will reach USD 121.5 billion for the market by the year 2035. The sales will be growing at a CAGR of 4.7% in the forecast period from the year 2025 to the year 2035. The global labels market valued for USD 74.0 billion in the year 2024.
Labels are essential in the food industry for providing the necessary information regarding nutritional content, ingredients, allergens, and expiration dates. They ensure consumer safety, help in regulatory compliance, and serve marketing purposes. The high volume of food products and the need for clear, informative labeling use labels on a large scale. Thus, compared to other end-use industries, food industry will dominate the labels market with a share above 28% in the upcoming years.
Global Labels Industry Forecast
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Industry Size (2025E) | USD 76.7 Billion |
| Industry Value (2035F) | USD 121.5 Billion |
| CAGR (2025 to 2035) | 4.7% |
Of the various product types, pressure sensitive labels will be the leading product type segment with more than 72% market share during the forecast period. Pressure sensitive labels are dominating because they provide efficient, no-heat, no-water application, reducing production costs. Their ability to conform to various surfaces, including irregular shapes, makes them ideal for diverse packaging needs, driving widespread adoption in global markets.
The global labels market is likely to grow in the forecast period with profitability and carry a certain level of traction. At the same time, it will produce an incremental opportunity value of USD 47.5 billion as well as increase by 1.6 times the base year value for 2035.
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The below table presents the expected CAGR for the global labels market over several semi-annual periods spanning from 2024 to 2034.
| Particular | Value CAGR |
|---|---|
| H1 | 1.6% (2023 to 2034) |
| H2 | 3.7% (2023 to 2034) |
| H1 | 2.5% (2024 to 2035) |
| H2 | 4.6% (2024 to 2035) |
In the first half (H1) of the decade from 2023 to 2033, the business is predicted to surge at a CAGR of 1.6%, followed by a slightly higher growth rate of 3.7% in the second half (H2) of the same decade.
Moving into the subsequent period, from H1 2024 to H2 2034, the CAGR is projected to decrease slightly to 2.5% in the first half and remain relatively moderate at 4.6% in the second half. In the first half (H1) the market witnessed a decrease of 90 BPS while in the second half (H2), the market witnessed an increase of 90 BPS.
Consumer Interest in Product Information Elevates Labels Market Growth
Major factor driving the demand of labels at the global level is awareness among consumers about information related to products. With increased health consciousness, consumers today look for detailed information about the products they are buying.
Labels are used for communication of such information basically related to the following aspects: ingredients, facts, source, and usage guidelines of the product. This resultant demand for clear honest product information propels manufacturers to invest in high-quality informative labeling.
The point is that the increased attention of companies to improve labels so as to meet the demands of consumers makes sure that the product is in line with the consumer's values rather than merely adhering to the regulations. Thus, the heightened transparency will expand the global labels market because consumers tend to take more informed purchasing decisions.
Need for Product Traceability in Various Industries Fuels Demand in Labels Market
Labels are a must-have tool in the tracking of products throughout the supply chain due to increased demand for transparency from business and consumers. This is particularly important in the food and pharmaceutical sectors, as such products are sensitive to safety and quality. It can be applied in identifying and tracing products from production to the point of consumption through the use of information such as barcodes, batch numbers, and expiration dates.
For instance, within the pharmaceutical company, labels put on the medicinal bottles have individualized identification that aids in fast-tracking drug batches when recalls are called for or checking the authenticity. The traceability of these products not only ensures regulatory compliance but also establishes consumer confidence. Thus, it is one of the emerging global drivers of the labels market.
Inconsistent Standardization of Labels May Hinder Global Labels Market Expansion
The lack of standardization in labeling regulations across various countries or regions may hamper global businesses by creating significant compliance challenges. Each country may have its own set of rules regarding language requirements, health warnings, ingredient disclosures, or packaging symbols, and companies may be forced to adapt their labels to meet diverse legal standards.
This lack of uniform labeling standards places the burden of creating many different labeling formats on the business to accommodate various markets, increasing its operational costs. Businesses are also exposed to the risk of compliance mistakes, which might lead to the imposition of fines, recalls, or other negative impacts on the brand reputation.
The added complexity in design and production processes can further hamper efficiency, making it more difficult to maintain a streamlined supply chain.
The global labels market recorded a CAGR of 3.7% during the historical period between 2020 and 2024. Market growth of labels globally was positive as it reached a value of USD 76.7 billion in 2024 from USD 64.0 billion in 2020.
Growth in global labels has steadily been rising through the growing packaging demand from foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics among others. Increased demand for high-quality and versatile labeling technologies smart labels, environmentally friendly materials was a strong addition to this expansion.
In the future, the labels market will be driven significantly by increasing e-commerce, a growing demand for sustainable packaging, and the demand for more personalized and traceable products. Technologies like digital printing and RFID labels are expected to fuel demand further, catering to the needs of better consumer engagement and logistical efficiency.
Tier 1 companies comprise market leaders capturing significant market share in global market. These market leaders are characterized by high production capacity and a wide product portfolio. These market leaders are distinguished by their extensive expertise in manufacturing across multiple packaging formats and a broad geographical reach, underpinned by a robust consumer base.
They provide a wide range of series including recycling and manufacturing utilizing the latest technology and meeting the regulatory standards providing the highest quality. Prominent companies within tier 1 include 3M Company, Multi-Color Corporation, Avery Dennison Corporation, Amcor plc, and UPM Global among others.
Tier 2 companies include mid-size players having presence in specific regions and highly influencing the local market. These are characterized by a strong presence overseas and strong market knowledge. These market players have good technology and ensure regulatory compliance but may not have advanced technology and wide global reach.
Prominent companies in tier 2 include Fuji Seal International, Inc., CCL Industries, Toray Plastics (America), Inc., Huhtamäki Oyj, Klöckner Pentaplast, Allen Plastic Industries Co., Ltd., Lintec Corporation, BRADY Corp, Derksen Co., Sigma Aldrich Corporation, and JK Labels.
Tier 3 includes the majority of small-scale companies operating at the local presence and serving niche markets. These companies are notably oriented towards fulfilling local market demands and are consequently classified within the tier 3 share segment. They are small-scale players and have limited geographical reach.
Tier 3, within this context, is recognized as an unorganized market, denoting a sector characterized by a lack of extensive structure and formalization when compared to organized competitors.
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The section below covers the future forecast for the labels market in terms of countries. Information on key countries in several parts of the globe, including North America, Latin America, East Asia, South Asia and Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and MEA is provided. USA is expected to account for a CAGR of 3.7% through 2035. In Europe, Germany is projected to witness a CAGR of 3.4% by 2035.
| Countries | Value CAGR (2025 to 2035) |
|---|---|
| USA | 3.7% |
| Germany | 3.4% |
| China | 5.6% |
| UK | 3.2% |
| Spain | 3.5% |
| India | 6.2% |
| Canada | 3.0% |
The significant development of e-commerce in the USA has directly increased the demand for durable and protective packaging solutions, leading to a significant increase in label requirements. With products being shipped over a longer distance, labeling and providing specific information required for the handling, shipment, and delivery of those products are necessary through labels.
Proper identification, tracking, and compliance with shipping regulations are guaranteed with labels. These contain important information, such as barcodes, QR codes, and product details, which would make it easy to track and engage with customers. Because of personalization and the need for brands to be highly visible in e-commerce, companies are using custom labels to help make their products unique and more appealing to consumers.
Strict pharmaceutical laws in Germany push the use of tamper-evident and child-resistant packaging in healthcare and medicinal cannabis. Labels will be of paramount importance to comply with regulations as they are supposed to carry the following information like dosage instructions, ingredients, expiration dates, and safety warnings. The labels are supposed to comply with specific legal requirements such as clear and legible fonts and symbols to denote tamper-proof features.
In addition, for medicinal cannabis products, the labels must specify the content of cannabinoids and must carry health warnings. Since safety for consumers remains paramount, advanced technologies such as QR codes in pharmaceutical packaging labels to ensure traceability and authentication continue to be integrated for increased security and compliance of the products.
The section contains information about the leading segments in the industry. In terms of printing technology, digital printing is estimated to account for a share over 45% by 2035. By product type, pressure sensitive labels are projected to dominate by holding a share of 72.5% by the end 2035.
| Printing Technology | Market Share (2035) |
|---|---|
| Digital Printing | 47.2% |
Digital printing technology is used the most in the global labels market as it provides high-quality output, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness for short to medium print runs. Companies can easily design their products, insert variable data such as barcodes or QR codes, and save on waste as no printing plates are needed.
The technology also enables faster turnaround times, making it perfect for industries requiring quick adaptability, such as food labeling for seasonal products. For example, a small beverage company can easily print limited-edition labels for holiday-themed bottles maintaining vibrant colors and precision while keeping the production costs low in comparison to offset or flexographic printing methods.
| Product Type | Market Share (2035) |
|---|---|
| Pressure Sensitive Labels | 72.5% |
Pressure-sensitive labels dominate the market share of labels around the world, because they are easy to apply and work with multiple surfaces such as glass, plastic, and metal. Since they have water-free and heat-free adhesion, pressure-sensitive labels are easier to produce and less costly. T
hey are used for branding, information, and compliance purposes in cosmetics, personal care, and pharmaceuticals. For example, the contents of a skin care product could use a pressure-sensitive label to present the ingredient list and brand in a neat, professional appearance. Their adaptability to different shapes and sizes is one of the major reasons that prefer them more than other labels.
Key players of global labels industry are developing and launching new products in the market. They are integrating with different firms and extending their geographical presence. Few of them are also collaborating and partnering with local brands and start-up companies
Key Developments:
Materials in the market for labels include plastic, paper and foil. Plastic includes polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and others (PA, EVOH, etc.). Paper includes kraft paper and recycled paper.
In terms of product type, the market for labels is divided into pressure sensitive labels, shrink labels, stretch labels, wet glue labels and others (In-mold, pre-gummed, etc.)
Printing technique used in the market for labels include flexographic printing, digital printing, gravure printing, offset printing and letterpress printing.
Types of ink in the industry for labels are solvent based, water based, UV based and others (latex based, etc.).
End users related to labels are food, beverages, pharmaceutical, cosmetics & personal care, homecare & toiletries, chemicals, automobiles and other industrial. Food includes bakery and confectionery, dairy products, baby food, chilled or frozen foods, and others (snacks, etc.). Beverages in further sub-categorized into alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Pharmaceuticals includes tablet/capsules, cream & ointment, liquid syrup and others.
Key Countries of North America, Latin America, East Asia, South Asia & Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Middle East & Africa are covered.
The global labels industry is projected to witness CAGR of 4.7% between 2025 and 2035.
The global labels industry stood at USD 74.0 billion in 2024.
Global labels industry is anticipated to reach USD 121.5 billion by 2035 end.
South Asia & Pacific is set to record a CAGR of 5.8% in assessment period.
The key players operating in the global labels industry include 3M Company, Multi-Color Corporation, Avery Dennison Corporation, Amcor plc, and UPM Global among others.
| Industry Size (2025E) | USD 15,894.7 million |
| Industry Value (2035F) | USD 29,006.6 million |
| CAGR (2025 to 2035) | 6.2% |
| Estimated Size, 2025 | USD 1,133.9 million |
|---|---|
| Projected Size, 2035 | USD 1,494.5 million |
| Value-based CAGR (2025 to 2035) | 2.8% |
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