The U.S. packaging industry, its suppliers, and related industries support about 1.82 million jobs and generate an estimated $694.79 billion in economic output, according to a new study AMERIPEN released today.
The 2026 Packaging Industry Economic Impacts Study, conducted by John Dunham & Associates, examines the packaging industry’s size, scope, and contribution to the U.S. economy at the national and state levels.
The study estimates the industry’s economic output at 2.14% of U.S. gross domestic product. Workers in the packaging industry receive about $160.39 billion in wages and benefits, while packaging manufacturers and their employees contribute an estimated $63.35 billion in federal, state, and local taxes.
“Packaging protects products, helps preserve their quality, conveys important information, and connects goods to the people who rely on them,” said Lynn Dyer, President of AMERIPEN. “This study puts the scale of the industry behind those everyday functions into focus. It highlights the breadth of the businesses, workers, and communities connected to packaging.”
The study covers packaging made from glass, metals, fiber, and plastics. It covers products such as containers, boxes, cans, bottles, bags, protective packaging, labels, envelopes, packing materials, pallets, and drums.
Through its production and distribution linkages, the packaging industry affects businesses in more than 500 sectors of the U.S. economy, including manufacturing, transportation, warehousing, logistics, agriculture, construction, business services, retail, and finance.
The data reflects not only packaging manufacturers, but the broader economic activity connected to packaging production and distribution.
“Packaging is connected to an extensive network of materials, equipment, transportation, services, and people,” Dyer said. “Understanding that broader footprint is important as policymakers, businesses, and other stakeholders consider the role packaging plays in commerce and everyday life.”
Workers across the direct, supplier, and induced categories receive an estimated $160.39 billion in wages and benefits. The study also estimates that packaging manufacturers and their employees contribute approximately $40.13 billion in federal taxes and $23.22 billion in state and local taxes, for a combined total of $63.35 billion.
The study includes national and state-level economic impact information, with additional data broken down by packaging material, supplier type, and sectors of the economy.
The study used the IMPLAN economic model to estimate the packaging industry’s direct, supplier, and induced impacts. The study developed direct packaging employment estimates using Data Axle employment data, product-level sales information from the U.S. Economic Census, and industry classifications to identify the packaging-related share of economic activity.