December 3, 2025 12:59

At the now-traditional European gathering for the bioplastics supply chain, the European Bioplastics Conference once again showcased updated figures for the sector and projections for the coming years, developed with the support of the German environmental consultancy nova-Institute.

Let’s start with a key figure: considering the total global plastics production, biobased plastics account for just 0.5%. Their growth in recent years, though positive, remains insufficient to qualify them as a true alternative to fossil-based materials.

The global production capacity of biobased plastics — both biodegradable and nonbiodegradable (e.g., polyethylene from bioethanol or polyamides from castor oil) — currently stands at around 2.3 million tonnes. However, actual production amounts to just over 72% of that capacity, or 1.67 million tonnes. Utilization rates vary significantly by polymer, ranging from 28% to 100%.

In Europe, capacity utilization this year was slightly above the global average, at 73%, but down sharply from 96% in 2024 — a sign of a downturn affecting the continent. Globally, by contrast, utilization rose from 63% to 72% over the same period.

Global market growth projections — as always optimistic — suggest that production capacity could reach nearly 4.7 million tonnes by 2030, with solid growth expected over the next four years before stabilizing around 2029. Compared to last year’s forecast, this represents a downward revision of 1 million tonnes.

Europe has lost its central role: Production this year is estimated at 240,000 tonnes, split almost evenly between biodegradable and nonbiodegradable plastics. This represents just under 15% of the global total, compared to 55% for Asia and 17% for North America.

Looking at the various types of bioplastics, globally biobased and biodegradable polymers represent 42% of total capacity, with PLA (polylactic acid) accounting for a dominant 23%. Non-biodegradable biobased polymers remain the majority at 58%, with more even distribution among polyamides (21%), polyesters (20%) and polyolefins (14.5%).

Packaging remains the leading application, accounting for 41% of global bioplastics consumption, or 950,000 tonnes — a decrease compared to 2024. The automotive and transport segment is growing, now representing 10% of total use, equivalent to 240,000 tonnes.

“The next phase of bioplastics market growth will depend on clear and stable policies that encourage innovation and investment,” said Hasso von Pogrell, managing director of European Bioplastics. “With Europe’s renewed bioeconomy agenda now explicitly recognizing bioplastics, coherent regulation will be key to fully unlocking their potential across industries.”

See also: Data and graphics on the European Bioplastics website

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