Ameripen study sizes US packaging market

Ameripen has released a study estimating that the US packaging industry, its suppliers and related industries support about 1.82 million jobs and generate 694.79 billion USD in economic output.

The 2026 Packaging Industry Economic Impacts Study, conducted by John Dunham & Associates, estimates that output equals 2.14 percent of US gross domestic product. Workers in the industry receive about 160.39 billion USD in wages and benefits, and packaging manufacturers and their employees contribute an estimated 63.35 billion USD in taxes, made up of about 40.13 billion USD in federal taxes and 23.22 billion USD in state and local taxes.

The study covers packaging made from glass, metals, fiber and plastics, including containers, boxes, cans, bottles, bags, protective packaging, labels, envelopes, packing materials, pallets and drums. It finds that through production and distribution linkages the industry affects businesses in more than 500 sectors of the economy, including manufacturing, transportation, warehousing, logistics, agriculture, construction, business services, retail and finance. It gives national and state-level figures, with further data by packaging material, supplier type and economic sector.

The researchers used the IMPLAN economic model to estimate the direct, supplier and induced impacts. They built direct employment estimates from Data Axle employment data, product-level sales information from the US Economic Census and industry classifications.

‘Packaging protects products, helps preserve their quality, conveys important information and connects goods to the people who rely on them,’ said Lynn Dyer, president of Ameripen. ‘This study puts the scale of the industry behind those everyday functions into focus. It highlights the breadth of the businesses, workers and communities connected to packaging.’