Packaging Industry M&A Activity Tracking
Global Packaging M&A activity totaled 23 deals in the month, slightly below the 25 transactions posted in June and in-line with the 2022 monthly average of 23 deals. Deal activity in the month was driven by private equity platform acquisitions, which hit a high-water mark in July for the year. Overall, deal activity through July has been significantly lower than the elevated levels experienced in 2021 and is slightly below pre-pandemic levels. Packaging deal activity is generally expected to continue at this level through the balance of the year.
- Platform private equity transactions remained elevated in July, accounting for 26% of the total transaction activity; this share of total transaction activity has not been reached since January of 2021
- Paper packaging led all subsectors for the second straight month, with transactions increasing by 45%, or 5 deals, when compared to June
- Flexible Plastic packaging had a very slow month, accounting for only 1 deal in the month which was 5 deals lower than July 2021
- Despite accounting for 30% of year-to-date activity, Food & Beverage transactions fell in July and only accounted for 2 deals
- Consumer Packaging recorded its highest transaction volume month of 2022; total transactions increased by 27%, or 3 deals, when compared to June 2022
Global Packaging M&A activity dropped in July, continuing the year-to-date trend of lower-than-average volume. While transaction activity is slightly below pre-pandemic levels and the macroeconomic environment remains uncertain, overall market fundamentals in packaging remain strong, and both buyers and sellers remain motivated to pursue deals. If you are a packaging company considering a merger, acquisition, sale or recapitalization in the short or longer term, please consider leveraging PMCF’s transaction planning and execution expertise to best position your company in a transaction.
Sources: Capital IQ, PitchBook, Thomson Reuters, Company Reports, PMCF. Data as of July 31, 2022
Packaging M&A By Subsector
Total Packaging M&A By End Market
Packaging Transactions By Buyer Type
Notable M&A Activity
Public Entity Performance
Major News
- There Are Signs Inflation May Have Peaked, but Can It Come Down Fast Enough? (Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/there-are-signs-inflation-may-have-peaked-but-can-it-come-down-fast-enough-11658568604 - Packaging Suppliers Face Winding Pathway on the Road to Sustainability (Plastics News)
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/packaging-suppliers-face-winding-pathway-road-sustainability - Packaging Design Innovating to Match New Consumer Trends (Packaging Word)
https://www.packworld.com/design/package-design/article/22302092/package-design-innovating-to-match-new-consumer-trends - July Jobs Report: U.S. Added 528,000 New Jobs as Unemployment Rate Fell to 3.5% (Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/july-jobs-report-unemployment-rate-economy-growth-2022-11659646690 - With an Uncertain Future, Here is the Economic Data to Watch (Plastics News)
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/uncertain-future-here-economic-data-watch
Download Packaging M&A Update – July 2022
Packaging M&A Update – May 2026
Global Packaging M&A activity slowed slightly in May, with 27 deals announced. While this reflected only a one-deal decrease compared to April, activity rebounded meaningfully from May 2025, with ten more transactions announced.
Plastics M&A Update – May 2026
Global Plastics M&A recorded 36 transactions in May, increasing by five deals from April and seven from May 2025, bringing year-to-date volume to 188 transactions.
Packaging M&A Update – April 2026
Global Packaging M&A activity remained stable in April, with 28 deals announced, one fewer than April 2025 and slightly above March levels. Through the first four months of 2026, 105 deals have been announced, a 27-deal decrease from the prior-year period.
Plastics M&A Update – April 2026
Global Plastics M&A recorded 31 transactions in April, moderating from March levels but bringing year-to-date volume to 152 deals, up 12 transactions from the prior-year period and 29 deals above the trailing three-year average through April.
Plastics M&A Update – March 2026
Global Plastics M&A experienced recorded 38 transactions in March, representing an uptick of seven deals from the prior month and five deals from last March.