Wood packaging: a booming sector of the future

A few days before the opening of the ALL4PACK trade show, which will be held from November 4 to 7 at Paris Nord Villepinte, the Wood Packaging Cluster - bringing together the Pallet Commission and the Light Wood Packaging Commission of the National Wood Federation (FNB), as well as the Industrial Packaging and Associated Logistics Union (SEILA) - unveils the results of its latest sector study. Addressed to 775 companies in the sector, this structural survey highlights the performance of a rapidly expanding sector, providing sustainable and innovative solutions to support the circular economy.

In 2022, the French wooden packaging market generated a turnover of €3.1 billion, up 27% between 2019 and 2022. Pallets represent 68% of this market with €2.12 billion. In addition, the industrial packaging sector grew by 16.1%, while the lightweight packaging sector recorded an increase of 8.7%. In total, the sector employs 18,000 people , divided between the pallet (70%), industrial packaging (18%) and lightweight packaging (12%) segments.

A local and sustainable resource

The wood packaging sector consumes 2.786 million m³ of wood annually, mainly of local origin and certified sustainable (PEFC, Merci le Peuplier and Bois de France). This approach illustrates the sector's strong commitment to preserving forest resources for future generations, through sustainable management and increased attention to environmental impacts.

A reduced carbon footprint

Wood packaging also actively contributes to reducing the carbon footprint through reuse and recycling practices. According to ADEME, 85% of wooden pallets are reused in France, a figure that largely exceeds the 30% target set by the REP EIC (Extended Producer Responsibility for Industrial and Commercial Packaging) for 2025. The overall recycling rate for wood packaging reaches 30%, a result higher than the 25% threshold targeted by the decree. In industrial packaging, adaptation to demanding specifications explains why 94% of the wood used comes from French forests, while the sector has a high proportion of tailor-made solutions (72%). Lightweight packaging, for its part, relies on the use of local species and energy-saving techniques, such as unrolling, which limit their environmental impact and strengthen the image of packaging intended for households. Since the application of the AGEC law, this sector has distinguished itself by renewed creativity.

Towards innovation and the future of wood packaging

Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) confirm the environmental superiority of wood as a packaging material. Natural and renewable, wood benefits from multiple lives: re-use, reuse, composting and recycling. Each segment, from industrial pallets to lightweight food packaging, relies on sustainable practices while fully integrating new regulatory requirements.

"Wood is a natural, bio-sourced and renewable material. It is never waste and already benefits from a very structured and efficient reuse and recycling system," explains Christophe Bénéton , President of the Packaging Division of the National Wood Federation.

"Used wood is also a valuable energy resource, highly valued by economic players. It stands out clearly from other materials in the packaging sector," adds Nicolas Derouault of SEILA, the Union of Industrial Packaging and Associated Logistics.

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