PS leads US labels market

Its North American Label Market Study 2013 is an update to its last profile of North America, published in 2011, and states that once again pressure-sensitive labeling leads, with 49 percent of demand. However, sleeve labels grew fastest in 2012, and AWA predicts that it will be sleeve and in-mold labeling that demonstrate the highest growth rates going forward.  

Glue-applied labels, currently with a 32 percent market share, will see the lowest growth. 

The results of AWA’s study are similar to the findings reported by fellow market research organization Freedonia in its Labels report, which predicts that US label demand will exceed US$19 billion by 2017.

AWA added that the worldwide label market grew 3.8 percent from 2011 to 2012, with North America growing by 2.1 percent across a number of different labeling formats.  

Overall, North America now represents 21 percent of world label demand, a reflection of the continuing dynamism of the Asia-Pacific region, which now commands a 36 percent share of the global label market, according to AWA.