Hormuz disruption pushes packaging buyers to prioritize supply security

Oil disruption reaches packaging supply chains

Geopolitical tensions and raw-material disruptions are changing packaging procurement from a price-led exercise into a broader assessment of supply security. According to Polish retail publication dlahandlu.pl, companies increasingly examine whether suppliers can maintain deliveries, how quickly they can respond to disruption and how exposed individual materials are to global shocks.

The first half of 2026 demonstrated the connection between distant transport bottlenecks and everyday warehouse operations. Citing the International Energy Agency, dlahandlu.pl reported that oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz fell at their lowest point from about 20 million to 2.7 million barrels per day, while total supply disruption exceeded 1.3 billion barrels. The situation has gradually stabilized, but the episode exposed industrial dependence on commodities sourced from unstable regions.

Packaging made from petroleum-derived feedstocks is directly affected. Films and other plastic materials face changes in price and availability when crude markets become volatile. This exposure is encouraging procurement teams to consider continuity, inventory risk and material substitution alongside technical specifications and unit cost.

Buyers consolidate orders with fewer suppliers

Deloitte’s 2025 Global Chief Procurement Officer Survey identifies geopolitical uncertainty as one of the main challenges confronting procurement leaders. Building more resilient supply chains has consequently become a central corporate objective. RAJAPACK’s observations from the first half of 2026 indicate that customers are also placing greater weight on supplier responsiveness and the ability to simplify purchasing processes.

One visible response is consolidation. Companies that previously ordered cartons, protective materials, packing machinery and warehouse equipment from separate vendors are increasingly seeking a single partner for several categories. Fewer counterparties can make orders easier to manage and allow faster intervention when deliveries fail, although concentrating expenditure also makes supplier selection and contingency planning more consequential.

Deloitte likewise lists expenditure consolidation among the strategies used to improve organizational resilience. Jarosław Kamiński, managing director of RAJAPACK Polska, said customers increasingly want one partner to cover packaging and warehouse-equipment requirements. In his assessment, consolidation gives companies greater supply predictability and makes procurement processes easier to manage.

Automation spreads beyond major logistics centers

Automation is another priority as labor costs rise, fulfillment deadlines tighten and warehouse space remains limited. Interest is no longer confined to the largest logistics centers: medium-sized businesses and online retailers are examining smaller systems for individual packing and order-picking stations.

Deloitte data cited by dlahandlu.pl show that 68% of organizations named greater operational efficiency as a leading priority for 2025, while 41% regarded investment in digitization and procurement-process automation as a key development direction. The equipment need not involve a large integrated system. Smaller installations can reduce repetitive tasks, improve ergonomics and make better use of restricted working areas.

Paper gains attention as a risk-management option

Companies are also showing greater interest in paper-based packing systems. Material choice still depends on the product, transport requirements and industry, and paper cannot replace film in every application. However, buyers increasingly consider feedstock availability, recyclability, regulatory compliance and the stability of future supplies.

Future Market Insights expects the global specialty-paper market, which includes packaging applications, to grow from $18.9 billion in 2026 to $31.1 billion in 2036. Packaging is projected to remain the largest application, accounting for nearly 40% of the market. The forecast supports investment interest in paper solutions, although their suitability must still be evaluated against performance and transport requirements.

The procurement shift therefore extends beyond changing one material for another. Companies are reviewing suppliers, packing-station design, equipment and raw-material exposure as a connected system. For producers and distributors of packaging, reliability and response times are becoming stronger competitive factors; for warehouse operators, the calculation increasingly covers continuity and labor efficiency as well as the purchase price.