Plastic packaging is up 10.1% on average over a year but has gone nowhere over the last three months, according to the indices of 4 November 2026. Of the family's 29 materials, 17 rose over the quarter, 11 fell and one was unchanged. None is lower than a year ago.
The steepest falls are in films. Shrink film lost 2.8%, cling / overwrap film 2.4%, the flexible - films & wraps line 2.0%, stretch / pallet wrap 1.6% and plastic film 1.4%. The same five lead the family over twelve months, from +15.5% for cling film to +20.9% for stretch wrap. Lidding film was unchanged over the quarter and is up 12.4% on the year.
Pouches went the other way: spouted pouches rose 1.4%, stand-up pouches and the flexible - pouches line 1.3%, retort pouches 1.2%. Plastic bags gained 0.8% and poly sacks 0.7%. Among rigid formats, plastic containers eased 0.6%, plastic drums and jerricans 0.4%, IBC / tote tanks and MAP / thermoformed trays 0.3%.
Market notes dated 2 November report that plastic packaging costs had jumped, according to an item dated 22 October, and that geopolitical tensions and supply disruptions were adding to polymer price uncertainty on 28 October. For plastic bottles, PET resin prices were reported to be rising on 21 October. India sought an anti-dumping duty on PET film on 3 October.
An earlier note, dated 6 October, says French plastic prices were still rising on 26 August and agrifood SMEs faced a packaging cost overrun, with the Strait of Hormuz blockade weighing on the sector. On plastic trays, Mondelēz is switching a range of its biscuits in Europe from rigid plastic trays to FSC-certified paper trays.
Its scope runs from rigid pots, tubs, cups, trays and dishes to buckets, pails, bags and grip-seal bags, bottles and jars, drums, jerricans and IBCs, flexible pouches and films.