Anti-counterfeit Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics Packaging Market Expected to Reach $182.3 Billion by 2030—Allied Market Research

According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, “Anti-counterfeit Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics Packaging Market," The anti-counterfeit pharmaceuticals and cosmetics packaging market was valued at $81.1 billion in 2020, and is estimated to reach $182.3 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 8.4% from 2021 to 2030.

Secure packaging is one of the essential techniques to prevent counterfeiting in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industries. Anti-counterfeit packaging is the process of secure packaging of the products in order to minimize counterfeiting or infringement. Anti-counterfeiting packaging prevents imitation and confirms safety of goods. Anti-counterfeit measurements are taken by companies, which help them in minimizing loss due to counterfeiting in terms of revenue and loyalty.

Advancement in track and trace technology enables manufactures to track the real time progress of their products, which are in transit within the supply chain and manufacturing. The companies are continuously engaged in developing novel tracking technologies such as RFID and Barcode. For instance, Purdue Pharma authenticates its high-value OxyContin product through RFID technology. Hanmi Pharmaceutical, a Korean pharmaceutical company is tagging 60 million pharmaceutical products every year. This advancement in technology creates space in authentication packaging market and acts as key driver in anti-counterfeit packaging market.

However, high cost is required for implementing product identification setups (ground infrastructure). This high cost setup is not always feasible for low cost products. Such factors are not dominant in developed countries such as U.S. and Europe due to favorable government support for ground infrastructure. However, in developing countries such as India, government fails to provide ground infrastructure, such as satellite for real time tracking solutions for companies.

Authentication technologies have brought the revolutionary changes in securing product manufactured at local market. The lower cost and easy operational process have increased the adoption of authentication technologies. Further, it has also elevated the scope of products track at small scale commodity market. Development of nano-technology increases the efficiency of electronic printing that enhances the growth of authentication packaging technology market. Authentication technologies enable manufactures to supply authentic products to end consumers. Ink & Dyes, Holograms, Watermark, and Taggants are the authentication tools used in anti-counterfeiting packaging. This factor is anticipated to offer new growth opportunities during the forecast period.

The anti-counterfeit pharmaceuticals and cosmetics packaging market analysis is done on the basis of technology, application, and region.

Depending on technology, the market is divided into authentication packaging technology and track and trace packaging technology. Authentication packaging technology was the largest revenue generator, and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period. Overt holograms provide physical visualization of product market in order to reduce the complexity in product identification. Variety of overt holograms include following features: 2-3 channel holograms that change the structure of image when tilted from left to right; 2D/3D holograms give overall visualization of images. Theses holograms are used in high end pharmaceutical products. Stereograms are 3D holograms that can be produced through digital photography and shear photography.

On the basis of application, the global anti-counterfeit pharmaceuticals and cosmetics packaging market is divided into pharmaceuticals and cosmetics & personal care. The pharmaceuticals end-use industry was the largest revenue generator, and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast period. Life style drugs are pharmaceutical drugs that are taken for non-medicinal reasons to improve quality of life instead of curing diseases. Counterfeiting of life style drugs might increase the risks of drug consumption among consumers. The counterfeiting of these products are more in developing countries, mostly, Asia and Africa. This counterfeiting happens due to weak regulatory enforcements. However, counterfeiting is more prevalent in developed countries due to ineffective drug supply chain. 

Region-wise, the global anti-counterfeit pharmaceuticals and cosmetics packaging market are analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. The North America anti-counterfeit pharmaceuticals and cosmetics packaging is projected to grow at the CAGR of 7.7% during the forecast period and accounted for 39% of anti-counterfeit pharmaceuticals and cosmetics packaging market share in 2020. Counterfeiting of drugs and medicinal products has a major impact on health of consumers. Lack of regulatory policies restricts the application of anti-counterfeiting packaging that makes the authentication process more complex. The lack in providing information about product by packaging technology reduces the probability of purchasing these products. In recent years, it is found that counterfeiting of consumer goods is largely performed in the supply chain. Such “safe supply chains” are more prone to counterfeiting. Canada and the U.S., have entered into a legitimate supply chain that includes Lipitor, Norvasc, Viagra, Zithromax, and Celebrex.

Key players operating in the global anti-counterfeit pharmaceuticals and cosmetics packaging market include Impinj Inc., AlpVision, Authentix, Zebra Technologies Corp., U-NICA Solutions AG, Alien Technology Corp., Hague, Prooftag, OpSec., and NanoMatriX International Limited.

COVID-19 analysis

The novel coronavirus is an incomparable global pandemic that has spread to over 180 countries and caused huge losses of lives and the economy across the globe. The global anti-counterfeit pharmaceuticals and cosmetics packaging market has been moderately impacted due to the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several law enforcement agencies and several drug suppliers across U.S. are being forced to implement anti-counterfeit packaging technologies in order to tackle fake pharmaceutical products being sold during COVID-19 crisis.

In addition, rise in number of counterfeit drug supply is another considerable factor driving the demand of the global market in the pandemic situation. For instance, according to report by the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA), there was steep increase in the number of counterfeit drugs, increase in number of dark web for coronavirus vaccines, and fake vaccination certificates being used. This in turn has augmented the demand for anti-counterfeit packaging market in pharmaceutical sector. Moreover, according to Roy Butcher (procurement manager at Southgate Packaging) there was increase in demand for anti-counterfeiting packaging technologies during pandemic that in turn has augmented demand for new technologies during COVID-19 crisis. Rise in demand for protecting reputational damage caused to pharmaceutical companies has further increased the adoption and need for anti-counterfeit technologies during packaging of their products. In addition, ability of anti-counterfeit technologies to prohibit and minimize potential consumer health risks is driving the demand of the global market despite of pandemic situation. In addition, people across the globe are ordering medications on e-commerce platform in order to avoid risk of COVID-19 infections being spread and to avoid unnecessary travel to the pharmacy in the pandemic situation is contributing towards the growth of the global market.

Over the counter (OTC) drugs and medications are not controlled by key regulation bodies. In addition, people are ordering and using OTC drugs that in turn require anti-counterfeit packaging technologies in order to avoid fake medications being delivered to the customers. In addition, several key-players in the online platform agencies dealing with sales of pharmaceutical products are experiencing counterfeiting over traditional distribution channels. These all factors are driving the demand for the global anti-counterfeit pharmaceuticals and cosmetics packaging market. Several COVID-19 vaccines are being used and transported across different countries is another consider factor that has increased the demand for anti-counterfeit packaging technologies as there is a high risk of counterfeiting of these vaccines and other drugs that are used to tackle pandemic

Key findings of the study

• The track and trace packaging technology is estimated to display the highest growth rate, in terms of revenue, registering a CAGR of 9.1% from 2021 to 2030.

• The pharmaceutical application is anticipated to register the highest CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast period.

• North America garnered the highest share of 39% in 2020, in terms of revenue, growing at a CAGR of 7.7%.