Brick Liquid Cartons Market Overview

The Global Brick Liquid Cartons Market is experiencing consistent growth as consumer preference shifts toward eco-friendly, convenient, and lightweight beverage and liquid packaging formats. Brick liquid cartons, characterized by their rectangular, space-efficient shape, are widely used for milk, juices, plant-based beverages, liquid foods, and select personal care and pharmaceutical products. The market was valued at USD 11.0 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow to USD 17.4 billion by 2033, reflecting a CAGR of 6.2%. Key factors supporting this growth include rising demand for sustainable packaging, increased consumption of ready-to-drink beverages, and expanding distribution of aseptic liquid food products globally.

Paper-based brick cartons continue to dominate due to their recyclability, low carbon footprint, and strong performance in aseptic filling processes. Manufacturers are investing in renewable materials, high-barrier coatings, and advanced filling technologies to improve product protection and shelf life.

Brick Liquid Cartons Market Drivers and Opportunities

Rising Demand for Sustainable and Recyclable Packaging Materials Is Driving the Brick Liquid Cartons Market Growth

Growing global focus on sustainable packaging is a major driver accelerating the adoption of brick liquid cartons. Consumers, brands, and governments are increasingly shifting away from plastic packaging toward renewable, fiber-based alternatives due to environmental concerns and tightening regulations. Brick cartons, primarily made from paperboard, offer high recyclability, lower carbon emissions, and reduced reliance on fossil-based materials. Their multi-layer structure provides excellent product protection while supporting aseptic technology, allowing beverages to remain shelf-stable without refrigeration, further reducing environmental impact. As sustainability becomes a key differentiator in FMCG and beverage markets, manufacturers are prioritizing brick cartons to enhance brand perception and meet regulatory compliance. Regulatory interventions such as plastic taxes, extended producer responsibility (EPR), and recycling targets in Europe, North America, and parts of Asia are accelerating this shift. The beverage and dairy industries are replacing PET bottles with cartons to reduce waste and improve recyclability rates. The rise of plant-based beverages, organic juices, and functional drinks/products typically marketed with sustainability-focused positioning further boosts carton adoption. With continuous innovations in renewable polymers, bio-based coatings, and FSC-certified paperboard, brick liquid cartons are increasingly preferred for companies seeking to achieve sustainability goals while maintaining high-quality packaging performance.

Increasing Consumption of Ready-to-Drink Beverages and Dairy Products Is Boosting Market Expansion

The expanding consumption of ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, dairy products, and functional drinks is another major driver supporting the brick liquid cartons market. Changing lifestyles, urbanization, and rising health consciousness have driven demand for packaged juices, flavored milk, plant-based beverages, liquid nutritional supplements, and herbal drinks. Brick liquid cartons offer an ideal packaging format for these products due to their lightweight structure, portability, and efficient storage. Their rectangular shape optimizes logistics, reduces transportation costs, and supports extended shelf life, critical for RTD beverages sold in retail and e-commerce channels.

The dairy sector, particularly in emerging markets, increasingly relies on aseptic cartons to distribute milk and dairy-based beverages without refrigeration, expanding market access in rural and semi-urban regions. Brick cartons are also gaining traction in premium beverage categories such as cold-pressed juices, organic drinks, and fortified beverages due to their sustainability appeal and excellent product protection. As consumers shift toward convenient, hygienic, and nutritionally enriched beverage formats, demand for safe and reliable packaging solutions continues to rise. This trend significantly strengthens the adoption of brick liquid cartons across various beverage categories, driving consistent market expansion.

Expanding Packaging Use in Personal Care and Pharmaceuticals Offers Significant Opportunities for Brick Liquid Cartons Market Growth

While food and beverages remain the primary end-use segment, personal care and pharmaceutical applications are emerging as high-potential growth areas for brick liquid cartons. Increasingly, brands are exploring sustainable alternatives to plastic tubes and bottles for liquid soaps, lotions, serums, and sanitizers. Brick cartons offer benefits such as reduced plastic usage, enhanced recyclability, and strong barrier protection for sensitive formulations. In pharmaceuticals, cartons are gaining attention for packaging liquid medicines, oral solutions, syrups, and dietary supplements due to improved shelf stability and tamper-evident properties. Rising environmental awareness among consumers and stricter sustainability requirements among multinational personal care companies create opportunities for carton adoption. Furthermore, growing e-commerce penetration is pushing brands to choose packaging that provides superior protection during transit; brick cartons excel due to their structural stability and box-like shape. In emerging markets, cost-effective and lightweight packaging solutions are increasingly favored by pharmaceutical distributors and cosmetic manufacturers. As research continues in bio-based linings, high-barrier coatings, and improved aseptic compatibility, brick liquid cartons have the potential to capture a greater share of non-food applications, unlocking significant long-term market opportunities.

Brick Liquid Cartons Market Scope

Brick Liquid Cartons Market Report Segmentation Analysis

The Brick Liquid Cartons Market is segmented based on material composition, opening type, end-use, and geography.

Paper Segment Accounted for the Largest Market Share in the Global Brick Liquid Cartons Market

The Paper segment accounted for the largest market share in the global Brick Liquid Cartons market, driven by its high recyclability, renewable composition, and strong consumer preference for eco-friendly packaging. Paperboard forms the structural backbone of brick cartons, offering durability, printability, and compatibility with aseptic filling technologies. Its lower environmental impact compared with plastic bottles and metal containers has made paper-based cartons the preferred choice among beverage manufacturers. Regulatory pressure to reduce single-use plastics further boosts demand for fiber-based packaging solutions. Advancements in multilayer paperboard, bio-based coatings, and renewable barrier technologies are enhancing the performance of paper cartons, enabling longer product shelf life and improved product safety. As sustainability becomes a top priority across industries, the dominance of the paper segment is expected to strengthen further.

Straw Hole Segment Accounted for the Largest Market Share in the Global Brick Liquid Cartons Market

The Straw Hole segment accounted for the largest market share in the global Brick Liquid Cartons market, primarily due to its extensive use in juice boxes, flavored milk beverages, and children’s drinks. Straw-hole cartons offer consumer convenience, portability, and mess-free consumption, making them the preferred choice for single-serve beverage packaging. Their compatibility with aseptic carton structures and long shelf-life products makes them particularly suitable for school milk programs and on-the-go beverage categories. As demand for small-format, portion-controlled beverages increases, the use of straw-hole brick cartons has grown significantly. Manufacturers continue to innovate with eco-friendly paper straws and tethered straw systems to meet sustainability regulations, especially in Europe. This ensures that the straw-hole format remains the most widely adopted opening type in the market.

Food & Beverages Segment Accounted for the Largest Market Share in the Global Brick Liquid Cartons Market

The Food & Beverages segment accounted for the largest market share in the global Brick Liquid Cartons market, supported by growing consumption of packaged dairy, juices, plant-based drinks, and functional beverages. Brick cartons offer superior protection for liquid foods, maintaining freshness and nutritional integrity through high-barrier layers and aseptic processing. Their lightweight structure, space efficiency, and ease of transport make them ideal for large-scale beverage distribution and retail sales. The rise of health-oriented drinks, organic juices, and shelf-stable milk products further contributes to the segment’s dominance. Food and beverage companies increasingly prefer brick cartons to achieve sustainability goals, reduce plastic usage, and appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. As demand for high-quality, shelf-stable liquid food products continues to rise worldwide, the food and beverage segment is expected to maintain its leading position.

The following segments are part of an in-depth analysis of the global Brick Liquid Cartons market:

Brick Liquid Cartons Market Share Analysis by Region

Asia-Pacific is anticipated to hold the biggest portion of the Brick Liquid Cartons Market globally throughout the forecast period.

Asia-Pacific dominated the Brick Liquid Cartons Market with a 41.2% share in 2025, supported by rapid urbanization, high consumption of packaged beverages, and expansion of dairy and juice production. Countries such as China, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam have witnessed a surge in demand for shelf-stable milk, RTD beverages, and nutritional drinks, all of which commonly use brick cartons due to their affordability and suitability for aseptic distribution. Growing middle-class populations and increasing adoption of modern retail formats further support regional growth.

North America is expected to record the highest CAGR through 2033, driven by strong regulatory focus on sustainability, reduction of plastic waste, and growing consumer preference for recyclable packaging formats. The U.S. market is experiencing rising adoption of liquid cartons for plant-based beverages, premium juices, and organic dairy products, supported by sustainable packaging commitments from major brands. Europe maintains steady growth due to established recycling infrastructure, strict environmental regulations, and high penetration of carton packaging in the dairy and beverage sectors. Meanwhile, Latin America and the Middle East & Africa are emerging as expanding markets due to increasing beverage consumption and investments in modern packaging solutions. Overall, global demand for sustainable liquid packaging supports strong regional adoption of brick liquid cartons.

Brick Liquid Cartons Market Competition Landscape Analysis

The competitive landscape of the Brick Liquid Cartons Market is dominated by major global packaging companies, beverage packaging specialists, and material suppliers focused on sustainable carton formats. Leading players are investing in renewable materials, enhanced barrier layers, and recyclable closures to meet growing sustainability expectations. ​

Global Brick Liquid Cartons Market Recent Developments News:

• In April 2024, Nampak Liquid Cartons, in partnership with Woodlands Dairy, launched South Africa’s first tethered cap carton, designed to reduce plastic waste by keeping the cap attached throughout the product’s lifecycle, including recycling.

• In November 2023, Ariake introduced its premium liquid broths in SIG carton packs, becoming the first company in Belgium to use aseptic filling for food products in this format. The rollout, featuring SIG Slimline cartons, supports Ariake’s expansion of high-quality, sustainably packaged broth offerings.

The Global Brick Liquid Cartons Market Is Dominated by a Few Large Companies, such as

●        Tetra Pak

●        SIG Combibloc

●        Elopak

●        Evergreen Packaging

●        Nippon Paper Industries

●        Weyerhaeuser

●        Liqui-Box

●        Pactiv

●        Adam Pack

●        Krones

●        IPI s.r.l.

●        Violet Pack

●        Jielong Yongfa

●        Skylong

●        Xiamen Forest Packaging

●        Stora Enso

●        Uflex

●        Refresco

●        Kartridg Pak

●        Greatview Aseptic Packaging

●        Others