Packaging in 2025: the big picture
In 2025, packaging across Japan's food, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, beauty and personal care, home care and pet food industries was shaped above all by demographic decline and an intensifying circular-economy agenda. A shrinking and rapidly ageing population, successive price increases and persistent cost-of-living pressure pushed unit volumes lower across most industries. Against this contracting backdrop, the defining theme was the migration towards lighter, recyclable, mono-material and recycled-content packaging. PET circularity advanced sharply in soft drinks, recycled-content aluminium cans gained ground in alcoholic drinks, and refill pouches and film-to-film recycling deepened their hold in home care and beauty. The pivotal regulatory event was the publication, in July and September 2025, of design-certification criteria for PET bottles, cosmetics containers and cleaning-product containers under the Plastic Resource Circulation Act, taking effect from 24 January 2026 and setting colourless, single-material construction and minimum recycled and biomass content as the benchmark for Japan's largest plastic formats. The cumulative effect was a market pivoting firmly towards circularity, clean single-stream recovery and verifiable recycled content.
2025 key trends
Two cross-cutting trends stood out in 2025. The first was the drive to increase plastic recovery through both chemical and mechanical recycling. The second was continued lightweighting and material reduction at component level: rather than abandoning established formats, brands increasingly re-engineered them piece by piece to reduce material use while retaining functionality. Underpinning both trends was Japan's well-established refill and concentrate culture, with refill and replacement packs already accounting for around 80% of soap and detergent shipment volumes.
Sustainability and lightweighting reshape a declining food packaging market
Food packaging in 2025 was defined by the interplay of demographic decline, premiumisation and a steady push towards lighter, more recyclable formats. Processed meat and seafood, the single largest food packaging category by units, was broadly stable, edging up less than 1% to 28,146 million units, with flexible vacuum packs, skin packs and films accounting for around 75% of volumes. Nippon Ham's "trimmed" pack redesign cut plastic use by approximately 28% by removing an unnecessary film section. Dairy, another of the largest categories, contracted 3% to 16,626 million units as a long decline in domestic dairy farmers tightened fresh-milk supply. The standout development came from Meiji, which from April 2025 moved its nationwide home-delivery milk and coffee from returnable glass to a 180ml cap-on paper carton with a four-day shelf-life extension. Lightweighting ran through the wider category set: Kewpie cut its 700g mayonnaise cap from around 5g to 4g, roughly 17% less plastic, while Hagoromo Foods steered sweetcorn from the can towards a "Papatto Kami Pack" paper format and a stand-up pouch. Convenience and premiumisation drove pockets of growth. House Foods extended microwaveable retort pouches across its curry range, reducing preparation time and energy use, while rigid-plastic microwaveable cups gained ground in baby food, even as the category declined 4% to 334 million units due to the low birth rate. Sweet spreads grew 2%, with Aohata trialling a spoon-free squeezable bottle alongside its established glass jars. Plant-based dairy also rose 2% to 1,247 million units and remained almost entirely carton-packed, as Danone extended its Alpro range and Asahi began test sales of yeast-based LIKE MILK in aseptic cartons.
Recycled PET and circular bottle-to-bottle supply define soft drinks packaging
Japan's soft drinks packaging volumes declined by 3% in 2025 to 48,092 million units, extending a multi-year contraction shaped by a shrinking, ageing population, beverage price increases and cautious discretionary spending. Rigid plastic, overwhelmingly PET bottles, remained dominant by a wide margin at around 60% of the total, or 29,007 million units, though it lost volume over the year, while metal was the only major pack type group to grow, rising 1% to 13,140 million units as cans gained ground in energy drinks and ready-to-drink coffee and tea. Material innovation centred on advancing circularity in PET. In April 2025, a nine-company cross-industry initiative became the first in Japan to channel non-beverage PET into chemical recycling for new beverage bottles. Kirin Beverage began production using the recycled resin, while Asahi Soft Drinks adopted it from October. In December, JEPLAN, PET REFINE TECHNOLOGY and Asahi Soft Drinks went further, producing recycled PET from 100% used bottles without petroleum feedstock for a trial 2-litre CALPIS SODA bottle, with full commercialisation targeted for 2029.
Recycled-content aluminium cans drive alcoholic drinks packaging
Alcoholic drinks packaging in Japan edged down by 4% in 2025 to around 16.1 billion units, reflecting a maturing, ageing market and moderating alcohol consumption. The mix is overwhelmingly concentrated in metal, which accounted for 13,411 million units, almost entirely aluminium beverage cans used across beer, happoshu, chu-hi and other ready-to-drink products. Glass followed at 2,193 million units, led by sake, beer and spirits bottles. The year's defining innovations were in metal. From February 2025 the major brewers Suntory, Asahi, Kirin and Sapporo began phasing in the EcoEnd can lid, jointly developed by Toyo Seikan and UACJ, which raises recycled used-beverage-can content to cut greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 40% and moves the lid closer to a mono-material construction with the can body. In parallel, Toyo Seikan's lightweighted aluminium can body, which trims a 350ml can from 12g to 10g, continued to roll out, Kirin highlighted lighter cans and Japan's lightest returnable glass bottles, and Asahi's 2025 sustainability report targeted more than 50% recycled content in its glass bottles and aluminium cans. With overall volumes set to decline only gradually to 2029, competitive advantage will rest on recycled content, lightweighting and convenience — including chemically recycled PET resin pioneered by Kirin for alcoholic beverages — rather than volume growth.
Refillable systems and recycled content lead beauty and personal care packaging
Beauty and personal care packaging contracted by 4% in 2025 to 4.6 billion units, as a shrinking, rapidly ageing population, mature category penetration and continued lightweighting weighed on demand across skin care, hair care and hygiene. Rigid plastic remained overwhelmingly dominant at 2,556 million units, or 56% of the total, reflecting the ubiquity of HDPE bottles, squeezable plastic tubes in skin care and speciality containers in colour cosmetics. Glass was the most resilient pack type group, slipping just 2% to 160 million units and forecast to be the only group to grow to 2030, while metal was the weakest, down 7%. Sustainability defined packaging development in beauty and personal care in 2025, with refill and reuse gaining further momentum. Shiseido extended its LiquiForm technology to a refillable pump-dispenser cosmetic bottle, combining a soft-plastic refill with a reusable hard pump top. The format cuts plastic use by around 56% and CO2 emissions by around 48% versus a conventional container, with third-party verification through the SuMPO EPD system. L'Oréal's global #JoinTheRefillMovement campaign further raised the profile of refillable systems.
Film-to-film recycling and refill pouches define home care packaging
Home care packaging declined by 3% in 2025 to 2.9 billion units, a mature market with exceptionally high refill and concentrate penetration across laundry, dishwashing and surface care. Flexible packaging, dominated by refill and replacement pouches, remained the largest pack type group at 1,279 million units but fell 4%, while rigid plastic proved the most resilient, declining less than 1% to 1,147 million units as PET bottles rose 4% to 507 million units in trigger sprays and dishwashing even as HDPE bottles eased. The defining sustainability story in home care was the Kao-Lion collaboration on film-to-film recycling. Their first refill packs containing 10% recycled material — including Kao's Attack ZERO concentrated liquid laundry detergent and Lion's Top Super NANOX refill pack — incorporated recycled resin into an inner polyethylene layer, with the recyclate recovered from used refill packs collected through retailers and municipalities. The approach was supported by initiatives such as Kobe Plastic Next, which aims to establish a local collection and recycling system for used plastic packaging. The development builds on Japan's deeply established refill culture, with refill and replacement packs already accounting for around 80% of soap and detergent shipment volumes and reducing plastic use per wash. Regulation is also supporting the development of collection infrastructure: under the Plastic Resource Circulation Act, Kao secured the country's first approval in March 2024 for the voluntary collection of used plastic packaging from the public, enabling it to collect and recycle refill packs through municipalities including Kamakura.
Convenient, recyclable and mono-material formats shape pet food packaging
Dog and cat food packaging was one of the few markets to grow in 2025, with unit volumes rising 1% to 2.8 billion units, supported by premiumisation, new product launches and rising demand for convenient, portion-controlled formats. Stand-up pouches, mainly aluminium/plastic, are the leading overall format, valued in wet food for convenience, portion control and freshness, and increasingly replacing traditional multi-wall bags for dry kibble through resealable designs that improve storage and shelf visibility. A dynamic pack type was the aluminium tray, which recorded 41% unit growth on the strength of single-serve 80g and 100g wet-food packs — illustrated by Yarrah's cat pâté trays — prized for their barrier properties, light weight and easy opening. Innovation clustered around fresh, frozen and premium formats. Inaba Pet Food rolled out a comprehensive new range, the Mishwan line expanded, and Inuneko Seikatsu revamped its frozen dog food in small 25g portions redesigned to signal freshness, natural ingredients and a home-made feel. Sustainability was a central driver, with brands such as PETOKOTO, Unicharm Petcare and Inuneko Seikatsu adopting high-barrier mono-material pouches, small-portion frozen packs and recyclable PET films in place of heavier metal trays and multilayer foil. Regulation pointed the same way, as the Containers and Packaging Recycling Act and the Plastic Resource Circulation Act together incentivise the mono-material, recyclable designs now spreading across the category. Volumes are forecast to grow modestly towards 2.9 billion units, fuelled by premium, functional and convenience trends.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Packaging industry in Japan 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 Japan, 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 Japan 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 Japan?
- Which are the major pack types and how are they performing in Japan?
- 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 Japan?
- Where is future growth expected to be most significant?
Packaging Industry in Japan
Packaging in 2025: the big picture
2025 key trends
Sustainability and lightweighting reshape a declining food packaging market
Recycled PET and circular bottle-to-bottle supply define soft drinks packaging
Recycled-content aluminium cans drive alcoholic drinks packaging
Refillable systems and recycled content lead beauty and personal care packaging
Film-to-film recycling and refill pouches define home care packaging
Convenient, recyclable and mono-material formats shape pet food packaging
Design certification criteria reset the rules for plastic packaging
Enduring frameworks and the food-contact Positive List tighten obligations
Producer responsibility and voluntary collection rather than deposits
Refillable and reusable packaging solutions from brand owners
Closed-loop recycling becomes the new normal
Renewable materials and consumer collection sustain high recovery
Country Reports Disclaimer
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Packaging
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- Baby and Child-specific Products Packaging
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- Bar Soap
- Bath Additives
- Body Powder
- Body Wash/Shower Gel
- Hand Sanitisers
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- Intimate Washes
- Intimate Wipes
- Liquid Soap
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- Eye Liner/Pencil
- Eye Shadow
- Mascara
- Other Lash and Brow Make-Up
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- BB/CC Creams
- Blusher/Bronzer/Highlighter
- Foundation/Concealer
- Powder
- Other Facial Make-Up
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- Lip Gloss
- Lip Liner/Pencil
- Lipstick
- Other Lip Products
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- Nail Polish
- Nail Treatments/Strengthener
- Polish Remover
- Other Nail Products
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- Deodorant Creams
- Deodorant Pumps
- Deodorant Roll-Ons
- Deodorant Sprays
- Deodorant Sticks
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- Hair Removers/Bleaches
- Women's Pre-Shave
- Women's Razors and Blades
- Fragrances Packaging
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- 2-in-1 Products
- Colourants
- Conditioners and Treatments
- Perms and Relaxants
- Salon Professional Hair Care
- Standard Shampoos
- Styling Agents
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- Men's Post-Shave
- Men's Pre-Shave
- Men's Razors and Blades
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- Men's Bath and Shower
- Men's Deodorants
- Men's Hair Care
- Men's Skin Care
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- Dental Floss
- Denture Care
- Mouth Fresheners
- Mouthwashes/Dental Rinses
- Tooth Whiteners
- Toothbrushes
- Toothpaste
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- Body Care
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- Face Masks
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- Liquid/Cream/Gel/Bar Cleansers
- Facial Cleansing Wipes
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- Basic Moisturisers
- Anti-Agers
- Lip Care
- Toners
- Hand Care
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- Adult Sun Care
- Baby and Child-specific Sun Care
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- Dark Beer
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- Flavoured/Mixed Lager
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- Domestic Lager
- Imported Lager
- Non/Low Alcohol Beer
- Stout
- Cider/Perry
- RTDs
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- Brandy and Cognac
- Liqueurs
- Rum
- Tequila (and Mezcal)
- Whiskies
- White Spirits
- Other Spirits
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- Fortified Wine and Vermouth
- Non-Grape Wine
- Sparkling Wine
- Still Light Grape Wine
- Non Alcoholic Wine
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- Fresh Coffee Beans
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- Fresh Ground Coffee Pods
- Standard Fresh Ground Coffee
- Instant Coffee
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- Black Tea
- Green Tea
- Fruit/Herbal Tea
- Instant Tea
- Other Tea
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- Flavoured Powder Drinks
- Other Plant-based Hot Drinks
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- Asian Speciality Drinks
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- Carbonated Bottled Water
- Flavoured Bottled Water
- Functional Bottled Water
- Still Bottled Water
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- Cola Carbonates
- Non-Cola Carbonates
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- Liquid Concentrates
- Powder Concentrates
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- 100% Juice
- Juice Drinks (up to 24% Juice)
- Nectars
- Coconut and Other Plant Waters
- Energy Drinks
- Sports Drinks
- RTD Coffee
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- Carbonated RTD Tea and Kombucha
- Still RTD Tea
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- Cat Treats and Mixers
- Dry Cat Food
- Wet Cat Food
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- Dog Treats and Mixers
- Dry Dog Food
- Wet Dog Food
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- Dried Baby Food
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- Liquid Milk Formula
- Powder Milk Formula
- Prepared Baby Food
- Other Baby Food
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- Dessert Mixes
- Frozen Baked Goods
- Packaged Bread
- Packaged Cakes
- Packaged Pastries
- Dessert Pies and Tarts
- Breakfast Cereals Packaging
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- Chocolate Pouches and Bags
- Boxed Assortments
- Chocolate with Toys
- Countlines
- Seasonal Chocolate
- Tablets
- Other Chocolate Confectionery
- Gum
- Sugar Confectionery
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- Butter and Spreads
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- Processed Cheese
- Packaged Hard Cheese
- Soft Cheese
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- Flavoured Milk Drinks
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- Fresh Milk
- Shelf Stable Milk
- Goat Milk
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- Powder Milk
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- Sour Milk Products
- Yoghurt
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- Chilled and Shelf Stable Desserts
- Chilled Snacks
- Coffee Whiteners
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- Condensed Milk
- Cream
- Fromage Frais and Quark
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- Plant-based Milk
- Plant-based Yoghurt
- Plant-based Cheese
- Edible Oils Packaging
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- Frozen Yoghurt
- Impulse Ice Cream
- Plant-based Ice Cream
- Take-Home Ice Cream
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- Frozen Fruit
- Frozen Processed Potatoes
- Frozen Processed Vegetables
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- Shelf Stable Beans
- Shelf Stable Fruit
- Shelf Stable Tomatoes
- Shelf Stable Vegetables
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- Chilled Processed Meat
- Frozen Processed Meat
- Shelf Stable Meat
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- Chilled Processed Seafood
- Frozen Processed Seafood
- Shelf Stable Seafood
- Meat and Seafood Substitutes inc Tofu
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- Dried Ready Meals
- Shelf Stable Ready Meals
- Chilled Ready Meals
- Frozen Ready Meals
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- Chilled Pizza
- Frozen Pizza
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- Meal Kits
- Quick Recipe Kits
- Chilled Lunch Kits
- Prepared Salads
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- Dry Soup
- Shelf Stable Soup
- Chilled Soup
- Frozen Soup
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- Noodles
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- Chilled Pasta
- Dried Pasta
- Rice
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- Bouillon
- Gravy Cubes, Powders and Pots
- Herbs and Spices
- Monosodium Glutamate
- Tomato Pastes and Purées
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- Liquid Recipe Sauces (excl pasta sauces)
- Dry Recipe Sauces
- Pasta Sauces
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- Barbecue Sauces
- Chili Sauces
- Fish Sauces
- Ketchup
- Mayonnaise
- Mustard
- Oyster Sauces
- Salad Dressings
- Soy Sauces
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- Dips
- Pickled Products
- Other Sauces and Condiments
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- Nuts, Seeds and Trail Mixes
- Popcorn
- Pretzels
- Salty Snacks
- Savoury Biscuits
- Meat Snacks
- Seafood Snacks
- Other Savoury Snacks
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- Chocolate Spreads
- Honey
- Jams and Preserves
- Nut and Seed Based Spreads
- Yeast-based Spreads
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- Fruit Snacks
- Snack Bars
- Sweet Biscuits
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- Candle Air Fresheners
- Car Air Fresheners
- Electric Air Fresheners
- Gel Air Fresheners
- Liquid Air Fresheners
- Spray/Aerosol Air Fresheners
- Other Air Care
- Bleach
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- Automatic Dishwashing Liquids
- Automatic Dishwashing Powders
- Automatic Dishwashing Tablets
- Dishwashing Additives
- Hand Dishwashing
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- Electric Insecticides
- Insecticide Baits
- Insecticide Coils
- Spray/Aerosol Insecticides
- Other Home Insecticides
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- Carpet Cleaners
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- Dryer Sheets
- Liquid Fabric Softeners
- Laundry Aids
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- Powder Detergents
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- Compact Powder Tablet Detergents
- Liquid Tablet Detergents
- Liquid Detergents
- Other Detergents
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- Floor Polish
- Furniture Polish
- Metal Polish
- Shoe Polish
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- 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
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- In-Cistern Devices
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- Rim Blocks
- Rim Liquids
- Toilet Care Tablets/Powders
- Toilet Cleaning Systems
- Toilet Liquids/Foam
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