UK custom packaging market size figures show a growing, England led industry. Demand for custom packaging in the UK is projected to grow from USD 5.68 billion in 2025 to around USD 8.74 billion by 2035. This works out to a compound annual growth rate of 4.4 percent, according to Fact.MR. Growth is being driven by expanding e-commerce and rising demand for personalized packaging. This is especially true in England, where brands and manufacturers are speeding up their custom packaging plans. If you run a brand in the UK, or you supply packaging to one, this article breaks down where the market stands in 2026. It also covers what is fueling growth and what the numbers mean for your business.

What the UK Custom Packaging Market Size Looks Like in 2026

Custom packaging covers boxes, mailers, cartons, and containers made to a brand’s own size, material, and print specification. This is different from generic, off the shelf packaging. Fact.MR puts the 2025 baseline for UK demand at USD 5.68 billion. That figure is set to rise to USD 8.74 billion by 2035. Paper and paperboard is the leading material here. It holds a 48.5 percent share of the UK custom packaging industry.

This is not a small or niche corner of retail. In fact, it sits inside a much larger UK packaging economy. Mordor Intelligence estimates the overall UK packaging market at roughly USD 62.26 billion in 2026. This is up from USD 60.94 billion in 2025. The forecast points to USD 69.27 billion by 2031, at a CAGR of 2.16 percent. Plastic still holds the largest slice of that wider market, at close to 48 percent. This is because of its use across food, beverage, and personal care packaging.

Separately, IBISWorld places the UK Packaging Services industry at £8.6 billion in 2026. That spend is spread across roughly 4,133 businesses. The Cardboard Packaging and Paper Bag Manufacturing segment covers a large share of custom box production. It was valued at £6.3 billion in 2025 to 2026, growing at a compound annual rate of about 2.5 percent over the previous five years.

These figures come from different research firms using different methods. So exact numbers will not match one another. Still, they agree on the direction. UK demand for packaging, and custom packaging specifically, is on a steady upward path.

Growth Trends Through 2035

The custom packaging segment is forecast to grow faster than the broader packaging market. Fact.MR’s 4.4 percent CAGR for UK custom packaging through 2035 outpaces the 2.16 percent forecast for the general UK packaging market through 2031. That gap tells you something useful. Businesses are not just buying more packaging. Instead, they are choosing to make more of it custom, branded, and tailored to their product.

E-commerce packaging is growing even faster than the custom packaging category as a whole. One estimate from Towards Packaging puts UK e-commerce packaging at USD 4.10 billion in 2025. This is forecast to reach USD 13.76 billion by 2035, a CAGR of 12.85 percent. A separate estimate from MarketsandMarkets values the same segment at USD 3,593.7 million in 2025. Its CAGR is more modest, at 4.08 percent through 2030. The two figures differ because they scope the market differently. However, both point the same way. Online retail is one of the strongest forces behind custom box demand in the UK right now.

Which Material Leads the Market

Paper and paperboard is the dominant material in UK custom packaging. It holds close to half the market. This fits with two things happening at once in the UK. First, the UK Plastic Tax has pushed manufacturers and brands toward recyclable and paper based alternatives. Second, paperboard is easier and cheaper to print on for short runs. This suits the small and medium businesses that make up most custom packaging orders.

Plastic still leads the wider UK packaging market when you include food film, bottles, and flexible pouches. It holds close to 48 percent of that broader category. But for boxes, cartons, and branded retail packaging specifically, paper based materials are the clear leader.

Which Industry Buys the Most Custom Packaging

Food and beverage is the largest end use sector for custom packaging in the UK. It holds a 35.2 percent share of demand. This includes bakery boxes, food takeaway containers, drink cartons, and branded retail food packaging. Electronics, apparel, personal care, household goods, pet food, and pharmaceuticals make up most of the remaining demand.

This matters if you are building a content plan around custom packaging keywords. Food and beverage packaging content targets the largest buyer segment in the market. As a result, it usually means the largest pool of searchers too.

Where Demand Is Strongest Across the UK

England holds the leading position in UK custom packaging demand. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are named as growth regions. However, England accounts for the bulk of current activity. This is largely because most consumer brands, retailers, and packaging manufacturers are based there. This lines up with what most UK packaging suppliers already see in their order data. London, Birmingham, and Manchester tend to generate the highest volumes of custom box enquiries.

What Is Driving the Growth

A few forces show up consistently across UK packaging market research.

E-commerce parcel volume. Rising online orders are increasing demand for protective and branded shipping boxes.

The UK Plastic Tax. This has pushed a shift toward recyclable and bio based materials. As a result, paper and paperboard suppliers are benefiting most.

Premiumization. Demand for luxury and gift style packaging is rising. This is partly linked to higher spending from younger consumers and tourism related retail.

Private label growth. Supermarkets and discount retailers are expanding their own branded product lines. These need cost efficient custom packaging at scale.

Quick commerce and dark kitchens. The rise of fast delivery food services has created demand for single portion, delivery ready packaging.

Digital printing. Short run digital printing has made custom packaging affordable for small and medium brands. Therefore, suppliers now have a much wider customer base.

What This Means If You Run a Brand in the UK

If you sell a physical product in the UK, a few practical takeaways come out of this data.

Custom packaging demand is growing faster than the packaging market as a whole. So competition among suppliers is likely to increase, which is good news for buyers.

Paper based packaging is the safer long term choice. This is because it aligns with where the market and UK regulation are heading.

If you sell online, your packaging budget should account for e-commerce packaging growth. It is one of the fastest growing categories in the entire UK market, not a side cost.

Food and beverage brands operate in the largest and most competitive segment. Therefore, differentiated design and material choice matter more here than in smaller categories.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UK custom packaging market size in 2026?
Fact.MR values UK custom packaging demand at USD 5.68 billion in 2025, on a path to reach USD 8.74 billion by 2035. There is no single official 2026 figure, but the market sits between those two points.

What is the growth rate of the UK custom packaging market?
The market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 4.4 percent between 2025 and 2035, according to Fact.MR.

Which material is most used in UK custom packaging?
Paper and paperboard leads the industry with a 48.5 percent market share. This puts it well ahead of plastic, wood, and other materials.

Which industry buys the most custom packaging in the UK?
Food and beverage is the largest end use sector. It accounts for 35.2 percent of UK custom packaging demand.

Which part of the UK has the highest demand for custom packaging?
England holds the leading position. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are named as additional growth regions.