Security Labels Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Barcode, Holographic Labels, Radio Frequency Identification (RFIDs), Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS), Near Field Communication (NFC), Others), By Material (Plastic, Foam (EPS), Foil, Paper), By Pattern (VOID, Checkboard, Destructible, Other Customized Patterns), By Applications (Bottles & Jars, Boxes & Cartons, Bags & Pouches, Others), By End-User (Food & Beverage Industry, Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Industry, Chemicals & Fertilizers Industry, Electrical & Electronics Industry, Personal Care & Cosmetics Industry, Others) and By Region(North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, LATAM) Forecasts, 2025-2033

Security Labels Market Size

The global security labels market size was valued at USD 35.75 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow from USD 38.02 billion in 2025 to reach USD 62.23 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 6.35% during the forecast period (2025 – 2033). 

Security labels are specialized labels designed to protect products from counterfeiting, tampering, and theft while ensuring authenticity and traceability. These labels incorporate advanced features such as holograms, RFID tags, QR codes, and tamper-evident seals to safeguard goods across various industries, including pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, electronics, and luxury products. By providing unique identifiers and authentication mechanisms, security labels help businesses comply with regulatory requirements, prevent financial losses due to counterfeiting, and build consumer trust.

The market is driven by the rising threat of counterfeiting and product tampering, prompting industries to adopt advanced labeling solutions for brand protection. Increased consumer awareness about product authenticity, especially in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, is pushing manufacturers to integrate tamper-evident and smart labels. Moreover, the surge in e-commerce has intensified the need for secure packaging and tracking solutions, ensuring product safety during transit. Technological advancements, such as RFID and NFC-enabled labels, are further enhancing real-time traceability, reducing fraud risks across supply chains.

Latest Market Trends

Expanding application in the food & beverage industry

The expanding application of security labels in the food and beverage industry is driven by the increasing need for product authentication, traceability, and safety. As counterfeit food products and contamination risks rise, manufacturers are adopting smart labeling solutions to enhance consumer trust and regulatory compliance.

• For instance, in January 2025, Giesecke+Devrient introduced a peel-and-stick smart label designed to improve the tracking of agricultural products, such as fruits and vegetables, throughout the supply chain. These labels incorporate sensors that monitor motion, temperature, and tampering, providing real-time data to ensure product integrity and compliance with forthcoming FDA traceability requirements set for 2026.

With advancements in RFID, QR codes, and blockchain-enabled labels, the industry is witnessing a shift toward intelligent packaging solutions that enhance transparency, reduce food fraud, and optimize supply chain efficiency.

Global Security Labels Market Growth Factor

Stringent regulations on product authentication

Stringent regulations on product authentication are a major driver of the global security labels market, as governments and regulatory bodies enforce stricter measures to combat counterfeiting and ensure consumer safety. Industries such as pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, and electronics are increasingly required to adopt security labels with advanced authentication features like RFID, holograms, and tamper-evident seals.

• For instance, in March 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its intention to extend the compliance date for the Food Traceability Rule by 30 months, moving the deadline from January 20, 2026, to July 20, 2028. This extension provides additional time for businesses to implement enhanced traceability measures aimed at improving food safety and product authentication.

With evolving regulations worldwide, the demand for secure and trackable labeling solutions continues to grow, ensuring transparency and regulatory compliance.

Market Restraint

High costs of advanced security labels

The high costs of advanced security labels remain a significant restraint in the global market, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. Security labels with RFID, holographic elements, or blockchain-enabled features require specialized materials, advanced manufacturing techniques, and additional infrastructure, such as RFID tracking or blockchain verification. These factors drive up production costs, making them less accessible for businesses with limited budgets, especially in industries like food & beverage and consumer goods. While large corporations can afford these investments, smaller companies may struggle to adopt such solutions, limiting widespread implementation.

Market Opportunity

Customization and tamper-evident features

The increasing demand for product security and brand protection is driving opportunities in the global security labels market, particularly through customization and tamper-evident features. Businesses across industries, from pharmaceuticals to e-commerce, seek advanced labeling solutions that deter counterfeiting and unauthorized access while maintaining brand aesthetics.

• For instance, in February 2025, Herma introduced 63Spc, a new multi-layer adhesive that transforms conventional materials into easily applied tamper-evident labels, enhancing security features without extensive material changes. Likewise, in January, Securikett launched tamper-proof labels for e-commerce, featuring a visible VOID effect upon removal, ensuring that labels cannot be reattached or resealed, thus providing clear evidence of tampering.

As companies invest in innovative label technologies, the market sees significant potential for growth, with tailored designs and security enhancements becoming critical in regulatory compliance and consumer trust.

Regional Insights

North America: Dominant Region

North America leads the global security labels market due to strict regulatory standards, strong demand for anti-counterfeit solutions, and advanced packaging technologies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration enforces stringent labeling laws, such as the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), driving the adoption of security labels in pharmaceuticals. Moreover, major players like Avery Dennison and 3M invest in RFID and tamper-evident labels, further strengthening the region’s market dominance. The rise of e-commerce has also accelerated the need for secure labeling in retail and logistics.

United States Market Trends

The U.S. is one of the most mature markets for security labels, driven by counterfeiting concerns and stringent regulations across sectors like pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, electronics, and luxury goods. The FDA’s Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) mandates secure labeling to combat counterfeit drugs, increasing demand for tamper-evident, holographic, and RFID labels. Moreover, the rise of e-commerce and the need for secure supply chains further propel the adoption of advanced security labeling solutions across industries.

Asia-Pacific: Fastest growing region

Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing market for security labels, driven by expanding manufacturing sectors, increasing counterfeiting threats, and government initiatives for product authentication. China and India, in particular, witness high demand due to rising e-commerce and stringent packaging regulations. In 2024, the Indian government mandated QR code-based labeling for certain pharmaceutical products to enhance traceability. Moreover, growing investments in smart packaging technologies, such as NFC-enabled labels in Japan and South Korea, are fueling market growth in the region.

Chinese Industry Trends

China is one of the largest markets for security labels, primarily due to its battle against counterfeiting. With the China National Intellectual Property Administration reporting that 70% of global counterfeit goods originate in the country, strict anti-counterfeiting regulations have led industries like pharmaceuticals, electronics, and automobiles to adopt advanced labeling solutions. The rapid expansion of e-commerce platforms, where fake products are prevalent, has further accelerated the need for security labels to ensure product authenticity.

Countrywise Insights

• India- India’s security labels market is growing rapidly due to rising counterfeit goods and the expansion of e-commerce. The pharmaceutical sector, valued at $42 billion in 2021, faces a major counterfeit problem, prompting manufacturers to adopt holographic labels and RFID tags. The government’s push for QR code-based authentication in medicine and food packaging is further driving demand. Moreover, India’s booming online retail industry has increased the need for secure packaging solutions to protect brands and consumers from counterfeit products.
• Germany- Germany is a leading European market for security labels, driven by strict regulations and high consumer awareness. Counterfeiting costs German businesses over €10 billion annually, prompting industries like automotive, pharmaceuticals, and luxury goods to invest in RFID-enabled labels, QR codes, and holographic security features. The automotive sector, in particular, is adopting high-tech labeling solutions to combat counterfeit parts. With growing concerns about brand integrity and regulatory compliance, Germany remains a stronghold for security label adoption.
• UK - The UK sees high demand for security labels as industries like food & beverage, luxury goods, and pharmaceuticals adopt anti-counterfeiting solutions. The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) estimates that counterfeit goods cost the UK economy £9 billion annually. Holograms, UV printing, and RFID tags help protect brands, particularly in pharmaceuticals, where product authenticity is crucial. Additionally, the UK’s sustainability push encourages the development of recyclable or biodegradable security labels, balancing security with environmental responsibility.

Segmentation Analysis

By Product

The barcode segment dominates the global security labels market due to its widespread use in inventory management, product authentication, and anti-counterfeiting measures. Barcodes provide a cost-effective and efficient solution for tracking products across various industries, including retail, logistics, and healthcare. With advancements in QR codes and smart barcodes, businesses are integrating enhanced security features to prevent fraud and improve supply chain transparency, further strengthening the segment’s dominance in the market.

By Material

Plastic security labels dominate the market due to their durability, flexibility, and compatibility with advanced security features such as holograms, RFID, and tamper-evident seals. Widely used in industries like pharmaceuticals, electronics, and food & beverages, plastic labels offer superior resistance to moisture, chemicals, and wear, ensuring long-term protection against counterfeiting and tampering. Their ability to integrate smart tracking technologies further strengthens their market dominance.

By Pattern

VOID-pattern security labels lead the global security label market as they provide a highly effective tamper-evident solution. When removed, these labels leave behind a visible “VOID” mark, preventing resealing and making tampering immediately detectable. They are widely adopted in the pharmaceutical, electronics, and luxury goods industries, where product authenticity is critical. Their strong adherence and clear tamper indication make them a preferred choice for high-security applications.

By Application

Boxes and cartons lead the security labels market as they serve as primary packaging for various products, including food, pharmaceuticals, and electronics. Security labels on boxes and cartons help ensure product integrity, detect tampering, and authenticate branded goods. The increasing demand for anti-counterfeit solutions and regulatory compliance in packaging drives the segment’s growth, with industries adopting tamper-evident seals, RFID-enabled labels, and holographic authentication features to enhance security measures.

By End-User

The food and beverage industry holds the largest share due to stringent regulations on food safety, traceability, and brand protection. Security labels help prevent counterfeiting, ensure product authenticity, and comply with evolving food labeling standards. With rising concerns about food fraud and supply chain transparency, companies are incorporating advanced security labels with QR codes, tamper-proof seals, and blockchain integration to enhance consumer trust and regulatory compliance, further driving market demand.

Company Market Share

The global market is highly competitive, with leading companies focusing on advanced technologies such as RFID, blockchain-enabled authentication, and holographic security features to enhance product protection. Many firms are expanding their portfolios with tamper-evident and smart labels that integrate digital verification, ensuring authenticity in pharmaceuticals, food & beverages, and luxury goods.

UPM-Kymmene Corporation: An Emerging Player in the Global Security Labels Market

UPM-Kymmene has established itself as a key player in label materials and security labeling technologies, gaining prominence in a rapidly growing market. The company is particularly strong in producing high-quality paper-based security labels with tamper-evident seals and anti-counterfeit features. Its focus on sustainability, including biodegradable and recyclable label materials, has significantly boosted its market share, especially in environmentally conscious regions like Europe.

Recent developments at UPM-Kymmene Corporation include:

• In November 2024, UPM Raflatac announced the permanent closure of its Kaltenkirchen factory in Germany. The phased closure, set to take place throughout 2025, will affect 154 positions. To ensure continuity and maintain quality, label material production will be shifted to UPM Raflatac's facilities in Poland and Finland, while graphics solutions production will be relocated to Belgium.

Recent Developments

• February 2024 – Faller Packaging introduced a recyclable, fiber-based, semi-transparent tamper-evident label designed specifically for the pharmaceutical industry. This label is crafted from pure cellulose fibers without chemical additives, ensuring it is biodegradable and recyclable. When combined with fiber-based folding cartons or outsert leaflets, it creates a uniform product that can be seamlessly integrated into recycling processes, achieving maximum recycling efficiency.

Analyst Opinion

As per our analyst, the market is experiencing steady growth, driven by rising concerns over counterfeiting, stringent regulatory requirements in industries like pharmaceuticals and food & beverages, and continuous advancements in authentication technologies such as RFID, blockchain, and tamper-evident solutions.

However, the global security labels market faces notable challenges, including high implementation costs, inconsistent regulatory standards across regions, and environmental concerns surrounding non-biodegradable label materials. Likewise, counterfeiters are becoming more sophisticated, necessitating continuous innovation in security labeling.

Despite these hurdles, the market remains promising. Companies are actively developing eco-friendly, recyclable, and fiber-based labels to align with sustainability goals while maintaining robust security. Moreover, the adoption of smart labeling technologies is enhancing product traceability and authentication, reinforcing the market’s growth potential.