European Plastics Industry Declines: Insights from PlasticsEurope at K2025

The atmosphere at K2025 reflected growing unease within Europe’s plastics sector. According to PlasticsEurope’s “Plastics the Fast Facts 2025” report, the industry continues to shrink in global relevance despite a slight stabilization in production volumes. Europe’s share of global plastics output has fallen from 22% to just 12% over the past two decades, squeezed by high energy costs, strict regulations, and fierce global competition.

Producer turnover dropped 13% between 2022 and 2024, highlighting deep structural pressures and weak domestic demand. Meanwhile, Asia — led by China — now accounts for 57% of global plastics production, underscoring Europe’s loss of industrial ground.

Even in circular plastics, Europe lags behind: production remained flat at 8.4 million tons in 2024, while global circular plastics surpassed 43.9 million tons, driven by rapid growth in Asia.

At K2025, PlasticsEurope’s Director General Virginia Janssens called for urgent policy alignment and investment to revitalize the sector. Without coherent industrial strategy and stronger support for innovation, Europe risks not only economic decline but also dependency on imported sustainable materials.