The carton packaging market - France

The global packaging market is estimated to be worth $1,170 billion in 2023, of which paperboard accounts for 31.8%, or around $373 billion. This material occupies a strategic position, both for its technical performance and for its ability to meet growing demands in terms of sustainability. Driven by sustained global demand, annual growth in the carton packaging market is estimated at 4.2% between 2023 and 2028, reinforcing its key role in the ongoing logistical and ecological transitions. In industrial terms, global production of carton packaging will reach 278 million tonnes in 2021, dominated by China (28.5%), Europe (23.9%) and Asia excluding China (19.3%). In France, carton packaging is a major pillar of the paper industry. In 2023, 70% of France's paper and board production was dedicated to packaging, the largest share of all uses, ahead of graphic papers and hygiene papers. Corrugated board, the industry's flagship material, is particularly dynamic. French production of paper for corrugated board (PPO) increased by +6.1% in 2024, supported by new industrial investments such as the start-up of VPK Normandie. This development coexists, however, with signals of slowdown, such as the slight decline in volumes produced in 2023(5.1 billion m², down 6% on 2022) and a contraction in sales in the cardboard sector to 2.22 billion euros in 2024, after marked growth since 2020. The sector's competitive structure remains concentrated: just 12 industrial groups operate in France via 70 production sites, employing 15,200 people directly, and up to 50,000 including indirect and induced effects. This concentration reflects both the consolidation of the sector and the technological upgrading of existing sites. Finally, foreign trade reveals a dual dynamic: a trade balance in deficit for finished paper and cardboard (-790 kt in 2024), but in surplus for paper for recycling (+1,379 kt). France mainly imports from Germany (27%), Spain and Italy, and exports to these same partners, underlining its strong European integration. This paradox shows that, while the recyclability of cardboard is a national asset, local conversion is still insufficient to cover all demand. Against this backdrop of growth, ecological transition and industrial sovereignty, carton packaging is more than ever likely to be a key market for the years to come.