【英語タイトル】Empty Capsules Market by Capsule Type (Hard, Soft), Shell Material (Gelatin, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Pullulan), Filling Type, Sales Channel, End User - Cumulative Impact of United States Tariffs 2025 - Global Forecast to 2030
	・商品コード：360iUTS4992J3 ・発行会社（調査会社）：360iResearch ・発行日：2025年5月 ・ページ数：約150 ・レポート言語：英語 ・レポート形式：PDF ・納品方法：Eメール（受注後2営業日） ・調査対象地域：グローバル ・産業分野：医療

The Empty Capsules Market size was estimated at USD 3.42 billion in 2024 and expected to reach USD 3.80 billion in 2025, at a CAGR 10.91% to reach USD 6.37 billion by 2030.

Identifying the Pivotal Role of Empty Capsules in Modern Formulation Strategies

The empty capsules market occupies a critical position in modern formulation and delivery strategies across pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and animal healthcare. As dosage forms evolve, manufacturers and brand owners increasingly rely on preformed shell systems to ensure consistency, enhance bioavailability, and meet ever-more stringent regulatory requirements. The versatility of empty capsules supports a wide range of active ingredients and consumer preferences, driving ongoing innovation in composition, functionality, and manufacturing processes.
Anchored by robust demand for precise dosing and streamlined production, the industry has witnessed steady expansion in both established and emerging markets. Stakeholders prioritize materials that deliver reliable performance while also addressing sustainability imperatives and consumer trends toward plant-based alternatives. In parallel, technological advancements in automation, process analytics, and digital tracking are transforming supply chains and enabling rapid response to shifting market conditions.
This executive summary synthesizes the latest developments shaping the empty capsules landscape. It outlines the key transformative forces, assesses the cumulative impact of United States tariffs in 2025, reveals segmentation and regional insights, profiles leading companies driving innovation, and offers actionable recommendations for industry leaders seeking to strengthen their competitive position.

Unveiling the Forces Reshaping the Empty Capsules Landscape

Several transformative forces are reshaping the empty capsules landscape, compelling manufacturers and brand owners to rethink product portfolios and supply chains. Foremost among these shifts is the growing emphasis on sustainability, which has elevated shell material innovation to the forefront. Traditional gelatin capsules face new competition from plant-based alternatives such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, with emerging solutions in pullulan and modified starch responding to vegan, halal, and kosher requirements.
At the same time, consumer expectations around transparency and clean label formulations are driving deeper traceability and third-party certifications. Digital manufacturing platforms and Industry 4.0-enabled facilities are becoming standard in greenfield plants, allowing real-time monitoring of critical process parameters and ensuring consistent quality across high-volume production runs. Such investments not only reduce waste and energy consumption but also enable agile scaling and differentiation through specialty dosage forms.
Regulatory landscapes are also evolving, as agencies worldwide update guidance on excipient safety, labeling requirements, and import/export controls. These changes have prompted manufacturers to diversify sourcing strategies and strengthen compliance programs, particularly in regions with divergent standards. At the same time, the rise of personalized nutrition and precision medicine presents new opportunities for custom capsule designs, tailored to niche patient populations and functional food applications.
Collectively, these transformative shifts underscore a broader trend toward integrated value chains, where material innovation, digitalization, and regulatory agility converge to define competitive advantage in the empty capsules market.

Assessing the Ripple Effects of US Tariffs on 2025 Market Dynamics

The introduction of United States tariffs on a range of imported shell materials has exerted considerable influence on 2025 market dynamics. Gelatin, pullulan, and select botanical extracts have faced elevated duty structures, leading to upstream cost pressures that reverberate throughout the supply chain. Manufacturers reliant on imported ingredients have grappled with margin compression, while parallel efforts to secure domestic sources have accelerated.
In response, several capsule producers have pursued strategic partnerships with local suppliers and invested in new capacity for hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and starch-based shells. Although these initiatives have mitigated some cost impacts, development timelines and scale-up challenges have limited immediate relief. The tariff-induced volatility has, in turn, spurred renewed interest in alternative materials and co-processing routes that can bypass high-duty categories.
Downstream, brand owners have adjusted pricing models, absorbing portions of the additional costs while negotiating volume-based contracts to stabilize input expenditures. Some have also adopted hedging strategies and long-term off-take agreements to secure supply continuity and predictable pricing. Despite initial disruptions, the market has demonstrated resilience, with incremental shifts in material preference and supply chain realignment projecting to outlast the tariff measures themselves.
Moving forward, stakeholders will continue to monitor policy developments closely. The evolving trade environment underscores the importance of agile procurement, diversified sourcing, and investments in sustainable, tariff-exempt shell alternatives.

Revealing Insights from Key Segmentation Dimensions

Key segmentation insights reveal the nuanced drivers shaping value creation across the empty capsules market. Based on capsule type, hard shells remain dominant for pharmaceuticals and veterinary applications, while soft shells capture growing share in nutraceuticals and functional foods due to their superior encapsulation of oils and liquids. Shifts in consumer preferences and manufacturing efficiencies have bolstered soft capsule adoption, particularly for dietary supplements.
Examining shell materials, gelatin continues to represent the largest category, supported by its well-established regulatory acceptance and cost advantage. Within gelatin, bovine sources account for the bulk of volume, complemented by fish, porcine, and poultry options that address specific dietary and religious requirements. Parallel to this, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has gained traction in vegan markets through modified and standard grades, offering similar performance without animal-derived inputs. Pullulan-known for its exceptional oxygen barrier properties-holds a specialized niche, while modified and native starch variants are emerging in applications requiring controlled release and clean label credentials.
In terms of filling type, powder and pellet forms dominate pharmaceutical dosage forms, whereas granule and liquid fillings drive growth in nutraceuticals and animal healthcare, where high-purity extracts and suspensions are in demand. The sales channel breakdown highlights the enduring strength of offline distribution for large B2B contracts and institutional buyers, while online platforms continue to expand rapidly, catering to e-commerce nutrition brands and direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical offerings.
End user analysis illustrates that pharmaceuticals-comprising both over-the-counter and prescription drugs-lead consumption by value, followed by nutraceuticals, which includes dietary supplements and functional foods. Animal healthcare, divided between feed additives and veterinary pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics applications round out the portfolio, each demonstrating unique growth trajectories based on regulatory frameworks and consumer trends.
This comprehensive research report categorizes the Empty Capsules market into clearly defined segments, providing a detailed analysis of emerging trends and precise revenue forecasts to support strategic decision-making.

1.
Capsule Type
 Hard
 Soft
2. Shell Material
 Gelatin
1. Bovine
2. Fish
3. Porcine
4. Poultry
 Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
1. Modified
2. Standard
 Pullulan
 Starch
1. Modified
2. Native
3. Filling Type
 Granule
 Liquid
 Pellet
 Powder
4. Sales Channel
 Offline
 Online
5. End User
 Animal Healthcare
1. Feed Additives
2. Veterinary Pharmaceuticals
 Cosmetics
 Nutraceuticals
1. Dietary Supplements
2. Functional Foods
 Pharmaceuticals
1. Over-The-Counter Drugs
2. Prescription Drugs

Competitive Analysis & Coverage
1. Lonza Group AG
2. Catalent, Inc.
3. Associated Capsules Private Limited
4. Qualicaps Co., Ltd.
5. Suheung Co., Ltd.
6. Nitta Gelatin, Inc.
7. CapsCanada Inc.
8. Natural Capsules Limited
9. Tianjin Sinocaps Biotech Co., Ltd.
10. Sunil Healthcare Limited