starch softgel capsules Market

The starch softgel capsules market was valued at US$ 382.67 million in 2019 and is projected to reach US$ 548.29 million by 2027; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.7% during 2020-2027.

The growth of the starch softgel capsules market is mainly attributed to factors such as increasing availability of vegetarian softgel capsules and rising preference of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical companies toward softgel capsules. However, the market is likely to get impacted by the difficulties in optimizing cellulose/starch for API delivery during the forecast period.

The starch soft gel capsules are usually derived from natural sources and used as nutritional supplements for patients suffering from various medical conditions. These soft gel capsules are usually free of genetic modifications and are manufactured adhering to strict quality standards. The soft gel capsules are available in gelatin as well as non-gelatin composition for people with vegetarian and non-vegetarian preferences. The soft gels are one of the most common and widely used oral dosage form of pharmaceuticals as well as nutraceuticals.

The vegetarian softgel capsules have recently become the product of interest in the market. These capsules are a perfect and viable alternative for people willing to consume non-gelatin capsules. The manufacturers are in a need to differentiate their products and brands from the competition in an increasingly crowded and growing marketplace. Apart from pharmaceutical drug delivery, the vegetarian softgel capsules are usually preferred for filling in nutritional supplements. The vegetarian capsules offer benefits of gelatin capsules with a few additional benefits. The extra advantages make these capsules superior to their traditional counterparts, thereby driving the growth of the market during the forecast period. According to the EXPO MILANO 2016, more than 375 million people across the world are vegetarians. Moreover, according to The Vegan Society (TVS) and Google Trends, interest in veganism has increased seven folds in five years, i.e., from 2014 to 2019. Thus, the growing preference toward vegetarian diet and health supplement preferences leading to increased manufacturing of vegetarian softgel capsules are likely to propel the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Based on application, the market is segmented into health supplements, pharmaceuticals, and other applications. The health supplements segment held the largest share of the market in 2019; and is expected to grow at a fastest CAGR during the forecast period.
 
Based on distribution channel, the global starch softgel capsules market is segmented into supermarket and hypermarket, pharmacy and drugstores, and online providers. The pharmacy and drugstores segment held the highest share of the market in 2019; whereas, the online providers segment is estimated to register the highest CAGR in the market during the forecast period.

The World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), TVS (The Vegan Society), and Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America are some of the major primary and secondary sources referred for preparing this report.