India’s biodegradable cutlery market set to double by 2030
Rising food delivery volumes, plastic restrictions and wider acceptance of paper-based food service products are pushing biodegradable and pulp cutlery into focus, even as India-specific paper cutlery data remains limited
17 Dec 2025 | 350 Views | By Noel D'Cunha
India’s biodegradable cutlery market, the closest tracked segment to paper cutlery, was valued at USD 12-lakh in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 21-lakh by 2030, growing at around 8% CAGR, according to industry estimates.
While standalone data for paper cutlery in India is still emerging, adjacent market indicators point to growing adoption. The Indian tableware market, valued at USD 5.29-bn in 2024, is expected to nearly double to USD 9.91-bn by 2032, reflecting sustained demand across organised food service and takeaway formats.
Amit Prakash, director at WSCS (World Supply Chain Solutions) India, says the shift is being driven less by experimentation and more by compliance and scale. “Paper and pulp-based cutlery is no longer a niche conversation. Regulatory pressure, especially around single-use plastics, is forcing brands and food service operators to look at materials that can work at volume while meeting compliance requirements,” he says.
Consumption data from allied paper-based products reinforces this trend. India used 23.2-bn paper cups in 2024, with volumes projected to rise to 29-bn units by 2033, indicating widespread acceptance of paper formats in food and beverage applications.
Globally, the growth trajectory strengthens the case for paper cutlery. The overall disposable cutlery market is estimated to be between USD 11.8 billion and USD 12.4 billion, with forecasts pointing to USD 19 billion to USD 22 billion by the early 2030s. Within this, pulp-based disposable cutlery was valued at USD 1.32-bn in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 3.63-bn by 2035, growing significantly faster than the broader category.
Prakash notes that India is likely to mirror this global shift as food delivery and quick service formats continue to scale. “Disposable cutlery demand in India is unavoidable because of the size of the food delivery ecosystem. The difference now is that sustainability is becoming a baseline expectation rather than a premium add-on,” he explains.
With limited standalone data but strong signals from adjacent markets, Prakash summarises that paper and pulp-based cutlery in India appears set for steady expansion, supported by regulation, infrastructure readiness and changing buyer expectations across food service and delivery platforms.