Segment Analysis of Global Plastic Bag and Sack Market: Products, Applications, and End-Users

In Business Insights
September 23, 2025

Global Plastic Bag and Sack market size was valued at USD 23.8 billion in 2023. The market is projected to grow from USD 25.1 billion in 2024 to USD 35.4 billion by 2031, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.0% during the forecast period.

Plastic bags and sacks are essential packaging solutions made primarily from polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) polymers. These versatile materials offer durability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness, making them ideal for containing goods across various sectors. Produced through processes like extrusion and blown film technology, plastic bags and sacks provide lightweight alternatives to traditional packaging, with features such as moisture resistance, high load-bearing capacity, and customizable designs including handles, gussets, and prints.

The market for plastic bags and sacks remains robust despite environmental pressures, driven by e-commerce expansion, food and retail packaging needs, and industrial logistics. However, sustainability initiatives are shifting demand toward biodegradable and recycled variants. Key growth factors include urbanization in emerging economies, rising consumer convenience demands, and innovations in eco-friendly plastics, although bans in some regions pose challenges that manufacturers are addressing through alternative materials.

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Segmentation by Product Type

The plastic bag and sack market can be divided into four key product categories, each catering to specific performance and sustainability requirements in packaging applications.

1. PE Plastic Bags & Sacks

Polyethylene (PE) bags and sacks, including high-density (HDPE) and low-density (LDPE) variants, are the most common due to their strength, transparency, and affordability. They are widely used for grocery shopping, waste disposal, and light industrial packaging, offering excellent puncture resistance and sealability.

  • Market Insight: PE products dominate the market share because of their versatility and low production costs. Retail chains and supermarkets rely heavily on them for everyday use, but increasing regulations on single-use plastics are prompting a transition to thicker, reusable PE options that meet durability standards.

  • Trend: In regions like North America and Europe, PE bags are evolving with recycled content to align with circular economy goals, reducing environmental impact while maintaining functionality for high-volume distribution.

2. PP Plastic Bags & Sacks

Polypropylene (PP) bags and sacks provide superior tensile strength and heat resistance compared to PE, making them suitable for woven sacks used in agriculture, construction, and heavy-duty shipping. Woven PP structures enhance load capacity for bulk materials like cement, grains, and fertilizers.

  • Market Insight: PP sacks are gaining traction in industrial sectors where robustness is key, particularly in Asia-Pacific’s booming agriculture and manufacturing. Their recyclability and ability to withstand rough handling position them as a reliable choice amid supply chain demands.

  • Trend: With global trade in commodities rising, PP woven sacks are being customized with laminations for moisture-proofing, supporting longer shelf lives for food products and reducing waste in logistics operations.

3. Bio Plastics Bags & Sacks

Bio plastics, derived from renewable sources like starch or PLA (polylactic acid), offer biodegradable alternatives to conventional plastics. These bags decompose naturally, addressing environmental concerns and complying with green packaging mandates.

  • Market Insight: Bio plastics represent the fastest-growing product segment, fueled by consumer preferences for sustainability and government incentives in Europe and North America. Retailers are adopting them for branded eco-bags, though higher costs limit widespread penetration in price-sensitive markets.

  • Trend: Innovations in bio-based composites are improving durability and cost-efficiency, with partnerships between brands and producers accelerating adoption in e-commerce and organic food packaging.

4. Other Plastic Bags & Sacks

This category includes specialized variants like PVC bags, multi-layer composites, and paper-plastic hybrids, designed for niche applications requiring enhanced features such as UV resistance or anti-static properties.

  • Market Insight: Other types serve targeted needs in sectors like electronics and pharmaceuticals, where contamination prevention is crucial. Their market is steady, supported by customization demands that traditional PE and PP cannot fully meet.

  • Trend: As industries seek hybrid solutions to balance cost and eco-friendliness, these products are seeing incremental growth, particularly in regions with strict import regulations favoring advanced materials.

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Segmentation by Application

Applications highlight the practical utility of plastic bags and sacks, leveraging their protective qualities to streamline operations across diverse industries, from everyday retail to specialized medical uses.

1. Industrial Packaging

Industrial packaging utilizes heavy-duty plastic bags and sacks for transporting raw materials, chemicals, and construction aggregates, where durability against tears and environmental exposure is paramount.

  • Insight: This segment is the largest consumer due to the sheer volume in manufacturing and logistics. PP woven sacks, in particular, dominate for bulk handling, ensuring safe delivery and minimizing spillage in global supply chains.

  • Trend: Automation in warehouses and the rise of just-in-time manufacturing are driving demand for standardized, high-strength bags, with Asia-Pacific leading in adoption owing to industrial expansion.

2. Commercial Use

In commercial settings like retail stores and supermarkets, plastic bags facilitate efficient checkout processes and product merchandising, often featuring custom prints for branding.

  • Insight: Commercial applications benefit from lightweight PE bags that enhance customer convenience, though bans on thin films are pushing retailers toward reusable or bio-based alternatives to maintain compliance.

  • Trend: E-commerce growth is boosting demand for mailer bags, with integrated tracking features and sustainable materials gaining favor as online shopping volumes surge worldwide.

3. Household/Daily Use

Household applications encompass grocery bags, trash liners, and storage pouches, essential for daily chores and waste management in homes and offices.

  • Insight: This everyday segment relies on affordable, easy-to-use PE products, but environmental awareness is shifting preferences toward biodegradable options, especially in urban households.

  • Trend: Rising urbanization and busy lifestyles are increasing usage, with innovations like scented or antimicrobial liners adding value and differentiating products in competitive markets.

4. Medical Care

Medical packaging employs sterile, tamper-evident plastic bags for transporting pharmaceuticals, medical waste, and supplies, adhering to strict hygiene standards.

  • Insight: Specialized PVC and multi-layer bags ensure safety in healthcare, with growth tied to expanding healthcare infrastructure and pandemic preparedness efforts globally.

  • Trend: Regulatory pushes for recyclable medical packaging are encouraging bio-plastic adoption, balancing infection control with sustainability in hospital and clinic operations.

5. Others

Other applications include agricultural mulch films, promotional giveaways, and protective covers, where plastic bags adapt to seasonal or event-specific needs.

  • Insight: This diverse group supports niche sectors like farming and events, providing flexible solutions that enhance efficiency without high costs.

  • Trend: Climate-resilient agriculture in developing regions is spurring demand for durable, UV-protected bags, while promotional uses evolve with digital printing for targeted marketing.

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Segmentation by End-User

1. Industrial & Manufacturing Companies

Industrial firms, including chemical producers and construction entities, are the largest end-user group for plastic bags and sacks, prioritizing bulk packaging for operational efficiency.

  • Insight: These users demand robust PP sacks to handle heavy loads, reducing downtime in production lines and ensuring compliance with safety protocols.

  • Trend: Supply chain optimizations in Asia-Pacific are accelerating procurement of customizable solutions, with a focus on cost savings through recyclable materials.

2. Retail & Commercial Businesses

Retailers from supermarkets to e-commerce platforms depend on plastic bags for customer-facing packaging, emphasizing convenience and brand visibility.

  • Insight: Commercial end-users favor PE variants for high turnover, but sustainability goals are driving investments in bio-plastics to appeal to eco-conscious consumers.

  • Trend: The boom in online retail is creating demand for padded mailers, with North American and European businesses leading in adopting traceable, green packaging options.

3. Household Consumers

Individual households use plastic bags for routine tasks like shopping and waste disposal, forming a broad but fragmented end-user base.

  • Insight: Accessibility and low price points make PE bags staples in homes, though awareness campaigns are promoting reusable alternatives to curb plastic pollution.

  • Trend: Emerging markets in South America and Africa show rising per-capita usage, tied to urbanization, while developed regions emphasize biodegradable products for daily needs.

4. Healthcare & Medical Institutions

Hospitals and clinics require hygienic plastic bags for waste segregation, supply transport, and patient care, focusing on sterility and durability.

  • Insight: This segment values specialized features like biohazard labeling, with demand growing alongside global health investments and preventive measures.

  • Trend: Post-pandemic shifts are enhancing adoption of antimicrobial and recyclable medical bags, particularly in Europe and the Middle East & Africa.

5. Agricultural & Other Specialized Users

Agricultural operations and other sectors like events utilize plastic bags for crop protection, storage, and logistics, adapting to environmental conditions.

  • Insight: Farmers rely on woven sacks for harvest handling, balancing cost with performance in variable climates, while niche users seek tailored designs.

  • Trend: Sustainable farming practices are boosting bio-plastic uptake in Asia-Pacific, with integrated pest-resistant films gaining ground for long-term field applications.

The Global Plastic Bag and Sack market is best understood through its segmentation landscape. By product type, the shift is toward bio plastics and PP variants, driven by sustainability demands in industrial and commercial sectors. By application, industrial packaging dominates, but household and medical uses are emerging as dynamic growth areas amid lifestyle and health trends. By end-user, industrial companies lead, but retail businesses and healthcare institutions provide critical momentum for innovation in eco-friendly solutions.

Read Full Report Here: 
Global Plastic Bag and Sack Market – View in Detailed Research Report

Download FREE Sample Report: 
Global Plastic Bag and Sack Market – View in Detailed Research Report