Demand for Labels in Pharmaceuticals Forecast to Grow 4.4% Annually Through 2025

Demand for labels in the pharmaceutical market is projected to expand 4.4% per year to $1.4 billion in 2025, outpacing nearly all other primary packaging markets. Gains will largely be driven by recent regulatory activity:

• The Drug Quality and Security Act of 2013 – to be phased in over a 10-year period – aims to prevent drug counterfeiting and diversion, supporting growth for larger labels featuring serialization codes.
• High-value RFID tags, specialty inks, and other enhanced security features will also benefit from increased safety measures.
• Regulatory and social pressures have led to increased demand for extended content labels (ECL) including more information and instructions for patients.
• In efforts to improve patient compliance and minimize drug misuse, an increasing number of pharmaceutical companies will furnish consumers with support materials such as warning and reminder stickers.

These and other trends are covered in the new study Primary Packaging Labels.

A move toward biologic drug formulations will also stimulate demand for pharmaceutical labels in both value and volume terms

The largest share of demand for pharmaceutical labels will remain in standard pressure sensitive types. Growth for pressure sensitive labels will be enhanced by the incorporation of RFID tags and other authentication technologies such as covert markings, electronic codes, and color shifting inks.