Bags (Plastic): Market Size & Forecast 2026

The global plastic bags market sits at approximately USD 10.2 billion in 2025 (base year), contracting at a -4.2% CAGR through 2032 as regulatory bans on single-use retail carry bags in the EU and 12 US states offset growth in garbage/refuse bags and industrial/ mailer segments. The category is structurally bifurcated: retail T-shirt bags face volume attrition of 60-90% in ban jurisdictions, while garbage bags (22% share), industrial liners (15% share), and e-commerce mailers (growing at roughly 8% CAGR) provide partial offsets. Feedstock cost is the dominant variable, LDPE resin accounts for roughly 65% of finished bag cost, and pricing tracks crude oil with a 30-60 day lag. > **Analyst Take.** The Amcor-Berry merger consolidates roughly 35-45% of North American flexible bag converter capacity under one owner; buyers who do not have pre-negotiated fallback agreements with Tier-2 supplie

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