Low Migration Inks Market Information: By Printing Process (Flexography, Gravure), Substrate Type (Corrugated Boxes, Flexible Films), End-Use Industry (Food & Beverage, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics & Personal Care), And Regions – Forecast Till 2030

Market Synopsis

Low migration inks are used in the labeling of packaging materials where undesirable migration of inks to substrate affects the appearance, flavor, odor, taste, or the safety of the product contained within the packaging. They are produced using selected components, which ensures that migration from the resulting printing ink film is intrinsically within official migration limits for the intended application. The components used for making low migration inks are high molecular weight ingredients, which show low migratory properties. The high molecular weight components are selected having a threshold of 1000 daltons as the dividing line to differentiate it with low molecular weight components. The migratory efficiency of inks is cross-checked using gas and HPLC chromatography techniques.

Migration of inks can occur due to physical migration or gas stage migration. The physical migration involves the migration of inks from the printed side through the substrate onto the unprinted side or migration from the printed side to the unprinted side of another sheet in a stack or roll. Substrates can be paper, plastic, and metal among other. Gas stage migration involves migration due to the evaporation of volatile materials present in ink by heating, especially during cooking, baking, or boiling frozen products in their original packaging or due to condensation migration during cooking, baking or sterilization of food products in their original packaging.

Low migration inks are used in various end-user industries such as food & beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics & personal care, and others. Growing awareness regarding harmful consequences by migration of inks in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics & personal care products are likely to drive the global low migration inks market during the forecast period, 2018-2023. Additionally, a shift in consumer preferences toward flexible and lightweight packaging alternatives is also likely to drive strong demand for low migration inks during the forecast period to restrict the penetration of inks to products present within the packaging. Furthermore, strict regulation of European Carton Makers Association (ECMA), European Food Standard Agency (EFSA), European Printing Ink Association Member of CEPE (EuPIA), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in developed regions such as North America and Europe are expected to surge the demand for low migration inks in these regions during the forecast period.

However, high cost of low migration inks due to the limited availability of raw material and its volatile costs are likely to restrain the market growth to some extent during the forecast period.

Global Low Migration Inks Market Share in 2017, by End-use industry

Source: MRFR Analysis

Market Segmentation

The global low migration inks market is segmented by a printing process, substrate type, end-use industry, and region.

On the basis of the printing process, the global low migration inks market is segmented into flexography, gravure, lithographic offset, digital, screen printing, and others.

On the basis of substrate type, the global low migration inks market is segmented into corrugated boxes, flexible films, flexible paper, folding cartons, metals, and others.

On the basis of the end-user industry, the global low migration inks market is segmented into food & beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetics & personal care, and others.

Regional Analysis

The global low migration inks market is segmented into five regions namely Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. 

Europe is expected to be the largest market for low migration inks and is likely to show the fastest growth during the review period 2018-2023. Stringent food and packaging regulations by various regulatory bodies is the factor responsible for the market growth during the forecast period.

North America is expected to  follow Europe in terms of market size and is likely to show a significant growth during the forecast period. Stringent regulation by the U.S. FDA is expected to be propelling the growth of the low migration inks market.

Asia Pacific is expected to show rising demand for low migration inks during the forecast period. Rapid industrialization due to relaxed investment norms, low raw material cost, cheap labor, and low production cost is expected to drive the demand for low migration inks in end-use industries such as food & beverages, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics & personal care.

The Middle East & Africa is also expected to exhibit increasing demand for low migration inks during the forecast period. Stringent regulations coupled with growing food & beverages and cosmetics and personal care regulations are likely to support the  market growth.

Latin America market is expected to show sluggish growth during the forecast period due to slow overall regional development.

Key Players

Intended Audience

• Low migration inks manufacturers


• Traders and distributors of low migration inks


• Research and development institutes


• Potential investors


• Raw material suppliers


• Nationalized laboratory