Packaging in 2025: the big picture
In 2025, the French packaging landscape across food, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, beauty and personal care, home care and pet food was defined by a mature, slow-growing market in which sustainability functioned as both a regulatory obligation and a competitive lever. Unit volumes rose within a narrow band: soft drinks packaging recovered by 2% to 15,921 million units, dog and cat food rose 1% to around 3.0 billion units, home care edged up by less than 1% to 2,080 million units, while beauty and personal care declined marginally to 2,981 million units and alcoholic drinks rose by less than 1% to 6,834 million units. Within food, the largest category, dairy, grew by less than 1% to 23,693 million units. Population maturity, cost-of-living pressure and selective downsizing tempered demand, even as premiumisation, e-commerce and single-serve convenience supported the unit count.
2025 key trends
Two key trends proved pivotal to the packaging industry in France over 2025. The first was the embedding of recycled content and lightweighting as baseline commercial requirements rather than differentiators. In dairy, Lactel integrated 30% recycled HDPE into its UHT bottles, while Candia moved its standard PET bottles to 25% recycled plastic from 1 January 2025, a switch it estimates avoids around 100 tonnes of virgin plastic each year. In soft drinks, Evian now manufactures its small still-water bottles in France, in 33cl, 40cl, 50cl and 75cl, from 100% recycled PET excluding cap and label. In home care, Procter & Gamble committed to at least 50% recycled plastic in its liquid laundry and softener bottles for brands such as Ariel, Dash and Lenor, and Henkel's Eau Écarlate range adopted packaging with at least 50-55% recycled material. In food, Fleury Michon specified at least 25% recycled material in its ham trays, and Lindt replaced coloured metallised trays with clear PET praliné trays containing between 30% and 80% recycled material.
French food packaging is reshaped by recycled content and fibre formats
In 2025, sustainability remained the central force shaping food packaging across dairy, sauces, processed proteins, confectionery, fruit and vegetables, baby food, meals and sweet spreads. Dairy, France's largest food packaging category by units, grew by less than 1% to 23,693 million units and remained overwhelmingly a rigid-plastic category, with HDPE and PET bottles and thin wall pots accounting for 14,502 million units, or 61% of the total. Here the recycled-content trajectory of the Loi AGEC regulations has a notable impact: Lactel continued to integrate certified recycled HDPE into UHT bottles, producing close to 13 million recycled-HDPE bottles since 2021 at its Montauban dairy. Overall, glass packaging grew fastest in 2025, up 5% to 1,532 million units, and paper-based containers rose 4% to 1,166 million units.
Recycled content and glass shape drinks packaging
In 2025, French soft drinks packaging returned to growth, with total retail volumes rising 2% to 15,921 million units as easing cost-of-living pressure, warmer summer trading and a recovery in bottled water demand revived consumption. Rigid plastic remained by far the largest pack type group, at 71% of volumes, or 11,240 million units, and was also the fastest-growing, up 4% on the strength of PET water and carbonate bottles and a 10% advance in thin wall plastic containers for chilled juices. The defining packaging trend was recycled PET, accelerated by national regulations, in force since 1 January 2025, requiring plastic drinks bottles to contain at least 25% recycled plastic; Evian now makes its small still-water bottles from 100% recycled PET excluding cap and label, and tethered caps have become standard across single-use bottles. The clearest innovation signal came from reusable, deposit-bearing glass. CCEP France opened a €146 million returnable-glass line near Paris in March 2025 and now offers Coca-Cola Original and Coca-Cola Zero in one-litre returnable bottles carrying a EUR0.20 deposit across more than 350 grocery outlets, while a regional deposit-and-reuse glass pilot launched across four north-western regions in June 2025.
Refill systems and premium glass lead beauty and personal care packaging
In 2025, beauty and personal care packaging in France was broadly flat, edging down marginally to 2,981 million units, as a mature, highly penetrated market balanced steady skin care and premiumisation against lightweighting and refill-led formats. Rigid plastic remained overwhelmingly dominant at 1,527 million units, reflecting the ubiquity of HDPE bottles in hair care and bath and shower and squeezable plastic tubes across skin care and oral care. Glass was the fastest-growing pack type group, up 4% to 165 million units, led by glass bottles, which rose 7% to 122 million units as premium skin care and refillable fragrances expanded, while stand-up pouches surged 23% to 25 million units as refill formats scaled.
Delivery:
Files are delivered directly into your account soon after payment is received and any tax is certification is verified (where applicable).
This report comes in PDF.
Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Packaging industry in France with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
Data and analysis in this report provides further detailed coverage dedicated to a comprehensive range of packaging types.
If you're in the Packaging industry in France, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Packaging in France report includes:
- Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
- Detailed segmentation of international and local products
- Historic volume and value sizes, company and brand market shares
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Packaging in France?
- Which are the major pack types and how are they performing in France?
- Have there been any packaging legislative changes in the past 12 months?
- How are consumption trends impacting the packaging landscape?
- What are the key trends and latest product developments in packaging?
- How important are sustainability and recycling to consumers in France?
- Where is future growth expected to be most significant?
Packaging Industry in France
Packaging in 2025: the big picture
2025 key trends
French food packaging is reshaped by recycled content and fibre formats
Recycled content and glass shape drinks packaging
Refill systems and premium glass lead beauty and personal care packaging
EU-wide recyclability rules harmonise France's packaging transition
France's anti-waste law drives reduction, reuse and recycled content
Recycled content mandates and produce rules tighten the framework
Circular-economy targets accelerate the shift to recyclable and reusable materials
Material innovation and supply-chain capacity underpin the circular shift
Digital transparency and sorting tools strengthen consumer participation
Country Reports Disclaimer
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Packaging
-
- Baby and Child-specific Products Packaging
-
- Bar Soap
- Bath Additives
- Body Powder
- Body Wash/Shower Gel
- Hand Sanitisers
-
- Intimate Washes
- Intimate Wipes
- Liquid Soap
-
-
- Eye Liner/Pencil
- Eye Shadow
- Mascara
- Other Lash and Brow Make-Up
-
- BB/CC Creams
- Blusher/Bronzer/Highlighter
- Foundation/Concealer
- Powder
- Other Facial Make-Up
-
- Lip Gloss
- Lip Liner/Pencil
- Lipstick
- Other Lip Products
-
- Nail Polish
- Nail Treatments/Strengthener
- Polish Remover
- Other Nail Products
-
-
- Deodorant Creams
- Deodorant Pumps
- Deodorant Roll-Ons
- Deodorant Sprays
- Deodorant Sticks
-
- Hair Removers/Bleaches
- Women's Pre-Shave
- Women's Razors and Blades
- Fragrances Packaging
-
- 2-in-1 Products
- Colourants
- Conditioners and Treatments
- Perms and Relaxants
- Salon Professional Hair Care
- Standard Shampoos
- Styling Agents
-
-
- Men's Post-Shave
- Men's Pre-Shave
- Men's Razors and Blades
-
- Men's Bath and Shower
- Men's Deodorants
- Men's Hair Care
- Men's Skin Care
-
-
- Dental Floss
- Denture Care
- Mouth Fresheners
- Mouthwashes/Dental Rinses
- Tooth Whiteners
- Toothbrushes
- Toothpaste
-
- Body Care
-
- Face Masks
-
- Liquid/Cream/Gel/Bar Cleansers
- Facial Cleansing Wipes
-
- Basic Moisturisers
- Anti-Agers
- Lip Care
- Toners
- Hand Care
-
- Adult Sun Care
- Baby and Child-specific Sun Care
-
-
-
- Dark Beer
-
- Flavoured/Mixed Lager
-
- Domestic Lager
- Imported Lager
- Non/Low Alcohol Beer
- Stout
- Cider/Perry
- RTDs
-
- Brandy and Cognac
- Liqueurs
- Rum
- Tequila (and Mezcal)
- Whiskies
- White Spirits
- Other Spirits
-
- Fortified Wine and Vermouth
- Non-Grape Wine
- Sparkling Wine
- Still Light Grape Wine
- Non Alcoholic Wine
-
-
-
-
- Fresh Coffee Beans
-
- Fresh Ground Coffee Pods
- Standard Fresh Ground Coffee
- Instant Coffee
-
-
- Black Tea
- Green Tea
- Fruit/Herbal Tea
- Instant Tea
- Other Tea
-
- Flavoured Powder Drinks
- Other Plant-based Hot Drinks
-
-
- Asian Speciality Drinks
-
- Carbonated Bottled Water
- Flavoured Bottled Water
- Functional Bottled Water
- Still Bottled Water
-
- Cola Carbonates
- Non-Cola Carbonates
-
- Liquid Concentrates
- Powder Concentrates
-
- 100% Juice
- Juice Drinks (up to 24% Juice)
- Nectars
- Coconut and Other Plant Waters
- Energy Drinks
- Sports Drinks
- RTD Coffee
-
- Carbonated RTD Tea and Kombucha
- Still RTD Tea
-
-
-
- Cat Treats and Mixers
- Dry Cat Food
- Wet Cat Food
-
- Dog Treats and Mixers
- Dry Dog Food
- Wet Dog Food
-
-
-
- Dried Baby Food
-
- Liquid Milk Formula
- Powder Milk Formula
- Prepared Baby Food
- Other Baby Food
-
- Dessert Mixes
- Frozen Baked Goods
- Packaged Bread
- Packaged Cakes
- Packaged Pastries
- Dessert Pies and Tarts
- Breakfast Cereals Packaging
-
-
- Chocolate Pouches and Bags
- Boxed Assortments
- Chocolate with Toys
- Countlines
- Seasonal Chocolate
- Tablets
- Other Chocolate Confectionery
- Gum
- Sugar Confectionery
-
-
- Butter and Spreads
-
- Processed Cheese
- Packaged Hard Cheese
- Soft Cheese
-
- Flavoured Milk Drinks
-
-
- Fresh Milk
- Shelf Stable Milk
- Goat Milk
-
- Powder Milk
-
- Sour Milk Products
- Yoghurt
-
- Chilled and Shelf Stable Desserts
- Chilled Snacks
- Coffee Whiteners
-
- Condensed Milk
- Cream
- Fromage Frais and Quark
-
- Plant-based Milk
- Plant-based Yoghurt
- Plant-based Cheese
- Edible Oils Packaging
-
- Frozen Yoghurt
- Impulse Ice Cream
- Plant-based Ice Cream
- Take-Home Ice Cream
-
-
- Frozen Fruit
- Frozen Processed Potatoes
- Frozen Processed Vegetables
-
- Shelf Stable Beans
- Shelf Stable Fruit
- Shelf Stable Tomatoes
- Shelf Stable Vegetables
-
-
-
- Chilled Processed Meat
- Frozen Processed Meat
- Shelf Stable Meat
-
- Chilled Processed Seafood
- Frozen Processed Seafood
- Shelf Stable Seafood
- Meat and Seafood Substitutes inc Tofu
-
-
-
- Dried Ready Meals
- Shelf Stable Ready Meals
- Chilled Ready Meals
- Frozen Ready Meals
-
- Chilled Pizza
- Frozen Pizza
-
- Meal Kits
- Quick Recipe Kits
- Chilled Lunch Kits
- Prepared Salads
-
- Dry Soup
- Shelf Stable Soup
- Chilled Soup
- Frozen Soup
-
-
- Noodles
-
- Chilled Pasta
- Dried Pasta
- Rice
-
-
- Bouillon
- Gravy Cubes, Powders and Pots
- Herbs and Spices
- Monosodium Glutamate
- Tomato Pastes and Purées
-
-
- Liquid Recipe Sauces (excl pasta sauces)
- Dry Recipe Sauces
- Pasta Sauces
-
- Barbecue Sauces
- Chili Sauces
- Fish Sauces
- Ketchup
- Mayonnaise
- Mustard
- Oyster Sauces
- Salad Dressings
- Soy Sauces
-
- Dips
- Pickled Products
- Other Sauces and Condiments
-
-
- Nuts, Seeds and Trail Mixes
- Popcorn
- Pretzels
- Salty Snacks
- Savoury Biscuits
- Meat Snacks
- Seafood Snacks
- Other Savoury Snacks
-
- Chocolate Spreads
- Honey
- Jams and Preserves
- Nut and Seed Based Spreads
- Yeast-based Spreads
-
- Fruit Snacks
- Snack Bars
- Sweet Biscuits
-
-
-
- Candle Air Fresheners
- Car Air Fresheners
- Electric Air Fresheners
- Gel Air Fresheners
- Liquid Air Fresheners
- Spray/Aerosol Air Fresheners
- Other Air Care
- Bleach
-
-
- Automatic Dishwashing Liquids
- Automatic Dishwashing Powders
- Automatic Dishwashing Tablets
- Dishwashing Additives
- Hand Dishwashing
-
-
- Electric Insecticides
- Insecticide Baits
- Insecticide Coils
- Spray/Aerosol Insecticides
- Other Home Insecticides
-
- Carpet Cleaners
-
- Dryer Sheets
- Liquid Fabric Softeners
- Laundry Aids
-
-
- Powder Detergents
-
- Compact Powder Tablet Detergents
- Liquid Tablet Detergents
- Liquid Detergents
- Other Detergents
-
-
- Floor Polish
- Furniture Polish
- Metal Polish
- Shoe Polish
-
-
- Cleaning Solution
- Starter Kits/Sweepers/Sticks (Excluding Wipes)
- Wipes (Excluding Starter Kits/Sweepers/Sticks)
- Bathroom Cleaners
- Descalers
- Drain Openers
- Floor Cleaners
- Home Care Disinfectants
- Kitchen Cleaners
- Multi-Purpose Cleaners
- Oven Cleaners
- Scouring Agents
- Window/Glass Cleaners
-
-
- In-Cistern Devices
-
- Rim Blocks
- Rim Liquids
- Toilet Care Tablets/Powders
- Toilet Cleaning Systems
- Toilet Liquids/Foam
-
Why buy this report?
- Gain competitive intelligence about market leaders
- Track key industry trends, opportunities and threats
- Inform your marketing, brand, strategy and market development, sales and supply functions
This report originates from Passport, our Packaging research and analysis database.
NEW REPORT GUARANTEE
If you purchase a report that is updated in the next 60 days, we will send you the new edition and data extraction Free!