Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market Size, Share, and Trends 2024 to 2034

Anti-counterfeit Packaging Market Size and Companies

The global anti-counterfeit packaging market size accounted for USD 165.74 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to reach around USD 571.77 billion by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of 13.18% between 2024 and 2034. The anti-counterfeit packaging market growth is fueled by several factors, including the increasing need for brand protection solutions in the pharmaceutical sector and the enhanced ability to monitor products across the supply chain. Moreover, concerted efforts by governments and corporations globally to combat counterfeiting activities, driven by concerns for both brand integrity and consumer safety, are anticipated to propel the demand for anti-counterfeit packaging at a notable pace throughout the forecast period.

Anti-counterfeit Packaging Market Key Takeaways

• North America captured more than 39.38% of revenue share in 2023 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 12.4%.
• By type, the mass encoding segment dominated the market in 2023 with revenue share of 28.94%.
• By end user, the pharmaceuticals segment has contributed the largest market share of 24.3% in 2023.
• By Packaging Format, the bottle and jar segment has accounted 17.9% revenue share in 2023.

U.S. Anti-counterfeit packaging Market Size and Growth 2024 to 2034

The U.S. anti-counterfeit packaging market size is estimated at USD 56.92 billion in 2024 and expected to be worth around USD 186.06 billion by 2034 with a CAGR of 12.57% from 2024 to 2034.

North America held the majority of the market share of around 39.38% in 2023. The anti-counterfeit packaging sector in North America is primarily driven by government measures to combat the counterfeit market in the United States and Canada. Product traceability is essential due to consumer desire for more accessibility.

The enforcement of anti-counterfeiting laws has assisted in growing its market share. To facilitate item tracking and identification, manufacturers are gradually incorporating more sophisticated technologies into machines.

Asia-Pacific had the market's quickest growth rate in 2023 because companies there always come up with new ways to guarantee the quality of their products and follow stringent health and safety regulations. For instance, the fact that many pharmaceutical firms manufacture their products in China has prompted the country to take more proactive measures to safeguard customers from food and medical device fraud as well as phony drugs.

That implies that understanding product authenticity and anti-counterfeiting technologies like barcodes, holograms, labeling, and RFIDs is more crucial than ever (radio frequency identification).

• Europe anti-counterfeit packaging market size was valued at USD 40.44 billion in 2024 and it is expanding at a CAGR of 12.6% from 2024 to 2034.
• Asia Pacific anti-counterfeit packaging market size was estimated at USD 37.28 billion in 2024 and it is expanding at a CAGR of 14.2% from 2024 to 2034.
• Japan anti-counterfeit packaging market size reached USD 6.38 billion in 2024 and it is growing at a CAGR of 13.27% from 2024 to 2034.
• China anti-counterfeit packaging market size surpassed USD 17.60 billion in 2024 and is expanding at a CAGR of 14.84% from 2024 to 2034.

Market Overview

Anti-counterfeit packaging refers to packaging solutions that are designed to prevent the production and sale of counterfeit products. Counterfeit products are produced and sold under the guise of being authentic products. Anti-counterfeit packaging is designed to prevent such practices by making it difficult or impossible for counterfeiters to replicate the packaging of genuine products.

The anti-counterfeit packaging market has been growing rapidly in recent years due to the increasing demand for counterfeit protection in various industries such as pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, consumer electronics, automotive, and luxury goods. The market is driven by factors such as rising concerns regarding product safety and authenticity, government regulations mandating the use of anti-counterfeit packaging, and the growing demand for high-quality packaging solutions.

Anti-counterfeit packaging solutions can include various features such as holograms, security inks, RFID tags, tamper-evident seals, and unique product identification codes. These features are designed to make it difficult for counterfeiters to replicate the packaging of genuine products and make it easy for consumers to verify the authenticity of the products they are purchasing. The anti-counterfeit packaging market is highly competitive, with numerous companies offering a range of solutions to meet the needs of different industries.

Market Scope

Market Dynamics

Key Market Drivers

Increase in the number of counterfeit products

• The key factors influencing the market are the rising incidence of imitation goods, the importance of safety and security, and government initiatives to combat counterfeiting. By employing anti-counterfeit packaging, businesses can protect their products from being misrepresented as belonging to competing companies. For example, high-end clothing firms imprint their logos on their apparel to prevent similar situations. Anti-counterfeit packaging is required by numerous businesses.
• The packaging industry is very broad, and as this trend spreads more widely, it is also expanding in the anti-counterfeit packaging sector. The use of uniform packaging may make it difficult for customers to determine whether a product is authentic. By using packaging technologies like holograms, RFID, and mass encoding, product duplication can be prevented.

Government regulations

• Governments in various countries are implementing strict regulations to prevent the sale of counterfeit products and to protect the interests of consumers. This has led to increased adoption of anti-counterfeit packaging solutions by companies to comply with these regulations.

Pharmaceuticals and healthcare to drive the market demand

• Counterfeit pharmaceuticals is One of the most valuable segments of global commerce in illegally copied items. Millions of individuals worldwide suffer damage and even death as a result of fake medications. It causes significant harm to the brands of major pharmaceutical makers. Recently, there have been several reports of fraudulent COVID vaccines being given to various nations' populations. 
• For instance, the discovery of fake Covishield (produced by the Serum Institute of India) by the World Health Organization (WHO) raised serious concerns among all relevant parties. Also, Pfizer's fake vaccination vials were found in various locations both inside and outside of the United States. This has caused concern among consumers and the government, to overcome to this governments across regions are exercising laws to probability the use of counterfeiting medicines.
• Consumers and the government are both concerned about this, so to combat it, governments worldwide are enforcing rules that make the use of fake medications more likely. The market for counterfeit pharmaceuticals has expanded as a result of rising online pharmacy usage and the emergence of a new large-scale manufacturer of fake medications.
• The WHO estimates that approximately 50% of the pharmaceuticals for sale online are fraudulent. Furthermore, many fake goods are of poor quality and can harm a variety of sectors. For instance, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports that in FY 2021, products worth USD 367.92 million were seized.

Key Market Challenges

High cost of production and investment

• Anti-counterfeit packaging solutions can be expensive, especially for small and medium-sized companies. This can limit the adoption of these solutions, particularly in developing countries where cost is a significant factor. The market's need for fake goods is mostly driven by consumers' desire for low-cost goods. The majority of firms have been compelled to use new anti-counterfeiting tactics as a result of government regularisation.
• Several businesses today use classic counterfeiting techniques since it is expensive to produce new packaging technology. Furthermore, investors frequently oppose the development of new technologies because they could lead the company to suffer a greater loss.

Lack of awareness

• Although there is an increasing awareness about the need for anti-counterfeit packaging solutions, there is still a lack of awareness among some companies and consumers. This can limit the adoption of these solutions, particularly in industries that are less exposed to counterfeiting activities.
• The main problem for companies that make anti-counterfeit packaging is to educate consumers about how to use these technologies to determine the creativity of the product. To prevent counterfeiters from copying these characteristics, businesses must surreptitiously notify consumers about the technologies. However, the creation of these solutions draws significant expenditure, which hinders the industry's expansion.

Key Market Opportunities

Growing demand from emerging markets

• Emerging economies like China and India are creating new opportunities for the anti-counterfeit packaging sector. Urbanization, an increase in the number of middle-class people, and increased disposable incomes will all contribute to a rise in demand for anti-counterfeit packaging. In China and India, internet sales have considerably expanded. The world is now more susceptible to counterfeiting due to the volume of items that the same number of people carry and handle every day. 
• By weakening anti-counterfeit packing materials, forgers and counterfeiters have made it simpler to carry fake goods. Due to significant expansion in vital industrial industries including pharmaceuticals, apparel and clothing, food and drinks, and agriculture in emerging economies, the packaging industry has great potential to establish a foundation and grow its operations. This presents an opportunity for anti-counterfeit packaging companies to expand their operations and cater to the growing demand.

Adoption of smart packaging solutions.

• The integration of smart packaging technologies such as RFID, NFC, and QR codes can provide an additional layer of security and help to prevent counterfeiting activities. This presents an opportunity for the development of more sophisticated anti-counterfeit packaging solutions.

Technology Insights

The anti-counterfeit packaging market is segmented into holograms, RFID, mass encoding, forensic markers, tamper evidence, and others. In 2023, the mass encoding segment held the largest share in anti-counterfeit packaging market. When it comes to anti-counterfeit packaging, mass encoding is the act of giving a lot of items or packaging units unique identifiers like barcodes, QR codes, RFID tags, or serial numbers. Throughout the supply chain, these IDs are used to verify items and stop counterfeiting. The supply chain can be more transparent because each product or packaging unit can be tracked back to its original location. This aids in locating the supplier of fake goods and putting specific preventative measures in place to stop them from happening again. Retailers, consumers, and government agencies can all confirm the legitimacy of products by scanning or examining their unique identifiers. This aids in separating real goods from fakes, safeguarding both the reputation of the company and its customers.

Mass encoding makes it possible to automatically track things over the course of their lifetime, which makes inventory management more effective. This lowers the possibility of fake goods entering the market, optimizes inventory levels, and cuts down on stockouts. Mass encoding is required by regulatory agencies in several industries for anti-counterfeit packaging in order to prevent counterfeiting and guarantee product safety

Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market Revenue, By Technology, 2021-2023 (USD, Bn)

End User Insights

The pharmaceuticals market segment held the greatest market share in 2023 and is poised to grow at a CAGR of 13.5% during the forecast period. A growing understanding of anti-counterfeit packaging and human health & safety is one of the factors impacting the surge in demand for anti-counterfeiting technologies in packaging. The pharmaceutical segment held the largest share in anti-counterfeit packaging market in 2023. To secure its products and shield consumers from fake drugs, the pharmaceutical industry makes large investments in anti-counterfeit packaging solutions. The public's health is seriously threatened by counterfeit medications since they may include dangerous compounds, inaccurate ingredients, or incorrect dosages. Pharmaceutical businesses can tackle this issue by using anti-counterfeit packaging technologies, which incorporate a variety of security elements that are difficult for counterfeiters to imitate. A unique identifying code, such as a serial number, QR code, or barcode, is assigned to each shipment or product. Using smartphones or specialized programs, consumers can scan these codes to confirm the product's validity.

Packaging is designed with tamper-evident seals or features that reveal if the product has been opened or tampered with before being purchased. This aids customers in spotting possibly fake goods. Pharmaceutical businesses and regulatory agencies can keep an eye on the flow of medicines via the supply chain thanks to sophisticated track and trace systems. This aids in locating fake goods and stops their dissemination. An extra layer of verification is provided by printing covert security features with invisible inks or marks that become visible only in certain situations, as under UV light. Certain pharmaceutical businesses offer specific mobile applications that enable customers to scan product packaging codes or photos to confirm the legitimacy of the items.

In Asia-Pacific, it is projected that the market for anti-counterfeit packaging will rise. The strict laws against counterfeiting necessitate an efficient supply chain. Due to the availability of low-cost counterfeiting techniques, packaging companies have selected anti-counterfeiting technology to save money and safeguard their brands.

Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market Revenue, By End-Use, 2021-2023 (USD, Bn)

Packaging Format Insights

The jars and bottle segment held the largest share in anti-counterfeit packaging market. The growing worries about product safety and authenticity have led to a major growth in the market for anti-counterfeit packaging, which includes jars and bottles. For businesses in a variety of industries, counterfeiting poses a severe risk to revenue streams, brand reputation, and consumer health. Common packaging types for a variety of goods, such as food, beverages, cosmetics, and medications, are jars and bottles, which makes them vulnerable to counterfeiting. Technological advances targeting the development of advanced anti-counterfeit packaging solutions have surged in the industry. These include of several security features including invisible inks, RFID tags, tamper-evident seals, holograms, and QR codes, among others.

Anti-counterfeit Packaging Market Companies

• Avery Dennison Corporation
• CCL Industries Inc.
• Mettler Toledo International Inc.
• SICPA SA
• 3M Company
• Hologram Industries
• Tesa SE
• HID Global Corporation
• DigiSeal Inc.
• Brandprotect GmbH

Recent Developments

• In July 2023, Holostik India launched a new anti-counterfeiting technology, Optashield. This anti-counterfeit security strip can be applied on both labels and holographic stickers. It adds a brand authentication complement to an existing packaging or product portfolio.
• In April 2023, Asahi Kasei and TIS jointly established Akliteia digital anti-counterfeiting platform as a solution to combat the issue of false labeling of food products.

Segments Covered in the Report

By Technology

• Holograms
• RFID
• Mass Encoding
• Forensic Markers
• Tamper Evidence
• Others

By Packaging Format

• Bottles & Jars
• Vials & Ampoules
• Blisters
• Trays
• Pouches & Sachets
• Tubes
• Syringes

By End-User

• Pharmaceuticals
• Food and Beverage
• Automotive
• Personal Care
• Electrical & Electronics
• Luxury Products
• Others

By Geography

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• Latin America
• The Middle East and Africa