The role of packaging and labelling in the pharmaceutical industry has grown substantially over the past decade. Driving this market surge are a number of factors, including:

• New packaging regulations and guidelines in North America and the European Union.
  
  
• An increasing aged population in North America and Europe requiring senior-friendly packaging.
  
  
• Packaging that meets the increasing threat of counterfeiting throughout the world.
  
  
• New packaging that is suitable for novel drug delivery technologies.
  
  
• Unit-dose packaging such as blister packaging and strip packs are becoming increasingly popular in the OTC and ethical markets.
  
  
• Plastic accounts for 67% of all the packaging materials used in the US$57bn global pharmaceutical packaging market.
  
  
• 25% is shared by paper and paper based products.
  
  
• Glass’ share continues to be eroded by new material applications.
  
  
• Plastic consumption within the pharmaceutical industry is currently driven by the screw-cap bottles which accounts for 19% of the pharmaceutical packaging market.