France Pharmaceutical Packaging Market Outlook (2025–2026)

📊 Market Overview

The pharmaceutical packaging sector in France is experiencing significant growth as the country continues to modernize its healthcare supply chain, meet sustainability targets, and increase its capacity for biopharmaceutical exports. In 2025, France remains one of the key pharmaceutical packaging markets in Europe, backed by a strong pharmaceutical manufacturing base, robust regulatory systems, and increasing demand for innovative packaging solutions.

The global pharmaceutical packaging market reached USD 397.7 billion in 2024 and is forecast to grow at a 10.7% CAGR through 2028. France, being one of the top pharmaceutical producers in Europe, contributes a significant share to this growth due to a combination of rising demand, serialization compliance, and investments in sustainable packaging technologies.

🧪 Packaging Segment Breakdown

In 2025, primary pharmaceutical packaging—including blister packs, bottles, vials, ampoules, and prefilled syringes—remains the dominant segment in France. This is followed by secondary and tertiary packaging solutions aimed at ensuring safety during transportation and enhancing patient compliance.

Key packaging materials used in France:

• Plastic (rigid and flexible): Over 50% market share due to affordability and versatility.

• Glass: Preferred for injectable drugs and biologicals.

• Paperboard and fiber-based packaging: Increasing use in eco-friendly cartons and leaflets.

Market Segmentation by Application:

• Oral medications: ~51% of pharmaceutical packaging

• Injectables/parenteral: ~29%

• Inhalation/transdermal and others: ~20%

🔍 Key Trends Driving Growth in France (2025)

1. Serialization and Anti-Counterfeiting

France, under the EU Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD), has fully adopted serialization technologies. Unit-level barcoding, tamper-evident packaging, and aggregation are now standard for traceability and compliance.

2. Sustainability and Eco-Design

Packaging manufacturers are investing in recyclable, biodegradable, and mono-material solutions. In 2025, France is scaling up the use of:

• Plant-based polymers

• Recyclable blister films

• Low-carbon paperboard

3. Cold Chain Packaging Expansion

With the growing export of biologics and mRNA-based therapies, cold-chain packaging solutions in France are rapidly evolving. In 2025, temperature-controlled packaging demand continues to grow in double digits.

4. Smart Packaging Adoption

Smart labels, NFC tags, and connected blister packs are being used more widely in clinical trials and chronic care, helping patients adhere to complex drug regimens.

📈 2026 Forecast & Growth Projections

Looking into 2026, the French pharmaceutical packaging market is expected to:

• Grow at a CAGR of 6.8%, driven by injectable drug packaging and personalized medicine.

• Expand cold-chain and active packaging offerings due to increased vaccine and biologics distribution.

• See major upgrades in automated packaging lines to enhance speed, reduce human error, and meet EU GMP guidelines.

Packaging Equipment Outlook

Globally, the pharmaceutical packaging equipment market is projected to grow from USD 9.6 billion in 2025 to USD 13.8 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 7.5%. French CDMOs (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations) are aligning with this trend by modernizing aseptic filling and secondary packaging lines.

🇫🇷 France in the European Context

• France ranks among the top 3 EU countries in pharmaceutical output and packaging investments.

• The European end-of-line packaging market, which includes France, was valued at USD 2.79 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 4.46 billion by 2034, at a 4.8% CAGR.

• France leads in regulations around eco-packaging and recyclability, often exceeding EU requirements.

📌 Opportunities Ahead

• Biodegradable and mono-material packaging will become mainstream in 2026.

• AI-driven packaging lines will reduce packaging waste and increase throughput.

• Export-ready packaging solutions, especially for injectables, will drive R&D and investment in custom and tamper-proof designs.

---

📚 Sources

1. Pharmaceutical Packaging Market Report – Towards Packaging

2. Pharmaceutical Plastic Packaging Market Insights

3. Pharmaceutical Packaging Equipment Market

4. Europe End-of-Line Packaging Market Sizing

5. Aseptic Packaging for Pharmaceuticals Market

6. Pharmaceutical Cold Chain Logistics Packaging Market