Disposable Cups Market Outlook:
Disposable Cups Market size was over USD 15.88 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 27.38 billion by 2035, witnessing around 5.6% CAGR during the forecast period i.e., between 2026-2035. In the year 2026, the industry size of disposable cups is evaluated at USD 16.68 billion.
Key Disposable Cups Market Insights Summary:
Regional Highlights:
- The North America disposable cups market is projected to achieve a 37% share by 2035, driven by rising number of cafes and increasing fast-food consumption.
- The Asia Pacific market is anticipated to secure significant revenue share by 2035, driven by rising environmental concerns and demand for on-the-go coffee.
Segment Insights:
- The paper segment in the disposable cups market is expected to experience significant growth during 2026-2035, driven by rising awareness for sustainable practices and the wide availability of paper as raw material.
Key Growth Trends:
- Worldwide emergence of middle-class people with rising income
- Staggering increase in eating out and food and beverage outlets
Major Challenges:
- Usage of plastic and single-use materials
- Health concerns
Key Players: Frugalpac Limited, Pactiv LLC, Greiner Packaging International GmbH, Genpak, LLC, Dart Container Corporation, ConverPack, Inc., Churchill Container, Berry Global Inc., WestRock Company, Huhtamäki Oyj.
Global Disposable Cups Market Forecast and Regional Outlook:
Market Size & Growth Projections:
- 2025 Market Size: USD 15.88 billion
- 2026 Market Size: USD 16.68 billion
- Projected Market Size: USD 27.38 billion by 2035
- Growth Forecasts: 5.6% CAGR (2026-2035)
Key Regional Dynamics:
- Largest Region: North America (37% Share by 2035)
- Fastest Growing Region: Asia Pacific
- Dominating Countries: China, United States, India, Germany, Japan
- Emerging Countries: China, India, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia
Last updated on : 8 January, 2025
The growth of the disposable cups market is primarily attributed to the good thermal properties of disposable cups which make them ideal to serve hot and cold beverages. They are mainly made up of plastic, paper, and foam materials that have low thermal conductivity and effusivity. Due to these properties, such materials are adequate for holding hot beverages.
Disposable cups are environmentally friendly and minimize the risk of spillage, making them popular amongst consumers in recent years. Moreover, consumers are opting for disposable cups for their affordability, ease of usage, and recyclability. These factors are augmenting the growth of the disposable cups market. Secondly, the surging demand for beverages such as coffee, tea, green tea, etc. would also upsurge the market growth. For instance, data published by the UK Parliament in 2018 stated that 2.5 billion coffee cups are used and thrown away each year in the country.
Disposable Cups Market Growth Drivers and Challenges:
Growth Drivers
- Worldwide emergence of middle-class people with rising income: The middle class is currently the world's largest consumer group, driving higher consumption of materials and goods. Therefore, the emerging middle class is leading to the increased demand for disposable cups. According to data published by the Pew Research Center in 2020, 17% of the global population could be considered middle-income. The disposable cup is the most commonly used food/beverage container amongst the middle-class population while completing their daily errands. Also, the increasing per capita income of people across the world is also boosting the disposable cups market revenue. As per the World Bank data, in 2021, the worldwide annual per capita income rose by 4.8% as contrasted to 1.5% annual per capita income in 2019.
- Staggering increase in eating out and food and beverage outlets: According to data published by the National Institutes of Health in 2020, more than 50% of American adults eat out 3 or more times a week. The adoption of disposable cups in the fast-food industry is acting as a canvas for marketing and demonstrating sustainability efforts taken by the companies. Also, the usage of disposable cups streamlines the beverage serving process, allowing companies to serve a lot of consumers with speed and precision.
- Rising environmental concerns: According to data published by GRACE Communication Foundation in 2019, 16 million disposable coffee cups each year are utilized. Researchers are raising concerns over the consequences of dumping these cups in to landfills. Due to this, market players are emphasizing adopting eco-friendly materials for making disposable cups such as bamboo, sugar cane bagasse pulp, corn starch, etc.
Challenges
- Usage of plastic and single-use materials: Most of disposable cups are made up of plastic which are extremely harmful for the environment. This is making consumers apprehensive regarding the usage of the disposable cups. There is has been increased focus on using sustainable products in recent years. Additionally, the government has banned the use of these plastics to control environmental pollution which hampers the market growth.
- Health concerns: It has also been demonstrated that while consuming a hot beverage from disposable paper cups results in the ingestion of fluoride and MPs ions released from the cups. This may hamper the growth of the disposable cups market.
Disposable Cups Market Size and Forecast:
| Report Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
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Base Year |
2025 |
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Forecast Period |
2026-2035 |
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CAGR |
5.6% |
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Base Year Market Size (2025) |
USD 15.88 billion |
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Forecast Year Market Size (2035) |
USD 27.38 billion |
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Regional Scope |
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Disposable Cups Market Segmentation:
Material Type (Paper, Plastic, Foam)
The paper segment in the disposable cups market is anticipated to grow at a significant rate over the forecast period. The growth of the segment is impelled by rising awareness in people for following sustainable practices. Also, there is a huge availability of paper making it an appropriate raw material for the disposable cup’s generation. For instance, according to data published by Business Waste Management, the world produces more than 414 million metric tons of paper every year.
Application (Hot Beverages, Ice Creams, Yogurt, Cold Drinks, Spreads, Confectionary, Others)
Based on disposable cups market applications, the hot beverages segment is expected to register rapid revenue growth through 2037. The segment growth is due to the rising preference of people for drinking hot beverages such as coffee, tea, or green tea. According to the International Coffee Organization, in 2023 world coffee production reached 168.2 million bags in the 2022-2023 financial year. Other than this, the UK Tea and Infusions Associations estimated total global consumption of 6,209 million kilogram in 2023.
Our in-depth analysis of the disposable cups market includes the following segments:
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Segment |
Subsegment |
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Material Type |
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Capacity |
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Application |
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End user |
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Vishnu Nair
Head - Global Business DevelopmentCustomize this report to your requirements — connect with our consultant for personalized insights and options.
Disposable Cups Market Regional Analysis:
North America Market Analysis:
North America disposable cups market is set to dominate a majority revenue share of 37% by 2037. The rising number of cafes and increasing consumption of fast-food items are some of the prominent growth-propelling factors in the region. Also, government in the region is focusing on including sustainable practices fostering the growth of the market. The region is home to leading manufacturers of the disposable cups who are introducing myriads of novel eco-friendly varieties of raw materials.
In U.S. rising consumption of coffee is pushing the sales of disposable cups all across the country. A data published by the National Coffee Association in 2020, 7 in 10 Americans drink coffee every week. Also, there is a rising inclination towards housewarming and potluck parties in the region. The disposable cups are becoming a convenient choice for customers to serve drinks without spillage.
The disposable cups market in Canada is also anticipated to witness significant growth till 2037 on the back of an increasing number of fast-food outlets. For instance, Restaurant Canada is a flourishing community of 98,000 food service businesses, including bars, institutions, restaurants, etc. As these businesses are opting for environmentally safe practices, adopting biodegradable disposable cups on a large scale.
Asia Pacific Market Analysis
Asia Pacific region is poised to witness substantial growth through 2037 owing to rising environmental concerns and the booming demand for on-the-go coffee consumption. The region is also the most populous in the world and a huge consumer base is present for the market players. There is a surge in establishments of coffee shops all across Asia Pacific, bolstering the demand for disposable cups.
The market in India offers numerous lucrative growth opportunities for the market players. The market is reckoned to be a high-potential business in the country on the back of rising consumption of soft drinks. Also, according to a United Nations report, India’s population was 1.4 billion in 2023. The rising population is playing a huge role in the growth of the market.
Also, the presence of a large number of disposable cup manufacturers in China is augmenting the market growth. Additionally, in Japan, the disposable cups market is witnessing an upward trajectory on the back of rising outdoor activities in the country. Additionally, people in the country are more inclined towards consuming tea. For instance, data published by the Global Japanese Tea Association stated that in 2022, total tea production in Japan was 68,000 tons.
Disposable Cups Market Players:
- Frugalpac Limited
- Company Overview
- Business Strategy
- Key Product Offerings
- Financial Performance
- Key Performance Indicators
- Risk Analysis
- Recent Development
- Regional Presence
- SWOT Analysis
- Pactiv LLC
- Greiner Packaging International GmbH
- Genpak, LLC
- Dart Container Corporation
- ConverPack, Inc.
- Churchill Container
- Berry Global Inc.
- WestRock Company
- Huhtamäki Oyj
The competitive landscape of the disposable cups market is rapidly evolving as established key players, automotive giants and new entrants are investing in introducing novel eco-friendly solutions. Key players in the market are focused on developing new technologies and products catering to the stringent regulatory norms and consumer demand. These key players are adopting several strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, partnerships, and novel product launches to enhance their product base and strengthen their market position. Here are some key players operating in the global market:
Recent Developments
- In April 2020, Frugalpac claimed to be made from 96% recycled paper and utilizes 60% less carbon than normal paper cups. This would help save more than 200 billion liters of water. Their products are available in 3 sizes for beverages: 8oz, 12oz, 16oz.
- In April 2024, the new disposable cups designed by Starbucks are more sustainable and will reduce its water, carbon, and waste footprints to half by 2030. These new cups will keep more than 135 million pounds of plastic from landfills each year.
- Report ID: 367
- Published Date: Jan 08, 2025
- Report Format: PDF, PPT
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