Packaging Industry M&A Activity Tracking
Global Packaging M&A tallied 37 deals in July, which was more than a 50% increase from June levels. After slower activity in both May and June, elevated demand from both strategic and financial buyers drove the uptick in July. Both buyer types posted above-average activity in July, with strategic and private equity platform deals experiencing the most notable increases. Transactions involving one U.S. and one foreign party accounted for nearly one-third of all activity in the month, which is up from recent levels and may be linked to greater clarity with recent tariff policies. July delivered a second consecutive increase in deal announcements, strengthening the year-to-date increase over 2024 levels.
- Rigid Packaging posted a strong July with 13 deals following four consecutive months of five or fewer deals. Through seven months, the subsector has posted the largest year-over-year activity uptick of 12 deals
- Financial and strategic buyers were active during the month as both buyer types were responsible for ~50% of deals. Private equity Platform acquisitions were particularly active in the July with 12 transactions recorded. This is the highest monthly total in over four years. Add-On acquisitions were depressed during the month relative to year-to-date trends
- Deals involving one U.S. party and one Foreign party were elevated in July, posting 11 deals which was well above historical averages of 4 per month. Domestic M&A tallied high single-digit deals for the fifth consecutive month, marking consistent deal flow for the deal type
- Transactions involving the Industrial end market accounted for just over 40% of all packaging M&A in July, its highest monthly portion in 2025 but still lagging 2024’s annual share. The Medical end market also tied its peak for monthly activity in 2025 with four deals announced
Sources: S&P Capital IQ, Company Websites, Pitchbook, Company Reports, PMCF
Major News
- Shoppers Are Slowly Turning Away from Plastic Packaging (The Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/shoppers-are-slowly-turning-away-from-plastic-packaging-f106a737?mod=Searchresults_pos1&page=1 - Trade Between the U.S. and EU is Massive. We Break it Down. (The Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/economy/trade/european-union-exports-tariffs-explained-64acab19?mod=trade_more_article_pos33 - Amazon Charts 28% Drop in North American Shipments Containing Single-Use Plastic Packaging (Packaging Dive)
https://www.packagingdive.com/news/amazon-packaging-sustainability-report-2024/753294/ - 4 Collaborative Projects that Aim to Advance Packaging Recycling (Packaging Dive)
https://www.packagingdive.com/news/collaboration-increase-packaging-recycling-research-funding/751922/ - Consumer-Confidence Survey Improved in July (The Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/economy/consumers/consumer-confidence-survey-improved-in-july-a4a5610d?mod=economy_more_article_pos55 - Packaging Defects Drive Q2 2025 Food Recalls Across Major Brands (Packaging Digest)
https://www.packagingdigest.com/food-beverage/packaging-defects-drive-q2-2025-food-recalls-across-major-brands
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.
Packaging M&A Update – March 2026
Global Packaging M&A activity improved in March, with 27 deals announced.
Plastics M&A Pulse – 2025 Year In Review
Global Plastics M&A recorded its fourth consecutive year of deal volume growth with 420 transactions, highlighting a steady rebound following the record-setting activity of 2021.
Packaging M&A Pulse – 2025 Year In Review
The Global Packaging M&A market achieved its third consecutive year of growth in 2025 with 344 transactions, up 22 deals from 2024.
Packaging M&A Update – February 2026
Global Packaging M&A tapered in February as 20 deals were announced in the sector, down more than 30% from prior month and prior year levels.