Market Overview

The Europe recycled plastics market was valued at 13.3 Million Tons in 2024 and is projected to reach 19.6 Million Tons by 2033, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.42% during the forecast period of 2025-2033. The market growth is driven by corporate sustainability efforts, evolving recycling technologies, rising environmental consciousness among consumers, and the adoption of extended producer responsibility programs. The Europe Recycled Plastics Market is notably influenced by government policies promoting sustainable packaging and recycling, fostering a circular economy.

Study Assumption Years

• Base Year: 2024
• Historical Year/Period: 2019-2024
• Forecast Year/Period: 2025-2033

Europe Recycled Plastics Market Key Takeaways

• The market size was 13.3 Million Tons in 2024, with a CAGR of 4.42% forecasted for 2025-2033.
• Germany dominated the market in 2024 due to advanced recycling infrastructure and strong sustainability policies.
• Increasing government subsidies incentivize businesses to adopt recycling technologies and integrate recycled plastics.
• Awareness about energy savings through recycled plastics is growing, encouraging their use across industries.
• The shift towards chemical recycling, marked by joint ventures such as Plastyx targeting 200,000 tons by 2025, supports market expansion.
• Packaging is the leading application segment, driven by eco-awareness and regulatory support.

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Market Growth Factors

Sustainability in packaging is another driving factor for companies, like the growing stringency of regulatory measures in Europe. Across Europe, governments are implementing measures with the aim to restrict plastic use and encourage recycling. Many applications now use more recycled plastics as a result. More and more, consumers know about plastic waste and its effect on the environment. Governments create policies and invest in recycling so they promote it through subsidies and tax credits. Worldwide recycling technologies advance. These factors drive the growth of the plastic recycling market. The circular economy model seeks waste reduction and reuse promotion in packaging, automotive, and construction.

With more government support and subsidies, businesses may invest in recycling infrastructure and include recycled plastic in products. The European Environment Agency seeks to emit greenhouse gases to 55% below 1990 levels by 2030 and arrive toward climate neutrality by 2050. These targets are parallel to international climate change targets. With government support, recycling systems in the market could develop, competition could be improved and a automatic growth cycle could form.

The main market driver for this sector is a shift towards energy saving. The manufacture of recycled plastics uses less energy than virgin plastics so businesses are switching toward more energy efficient alternatives. The plastics sector like Plastics Europe invests a lot in chemical recycling, and it aims toward 1.2 Million Tons of recycled plastics for 2025 and 3.4 Million Tons for the year 2030. This saves both fossil resources from extraction and energy from combustion. Consumer demand for post-consumer recycled plastic products increases recycling facility investment, while energy efficiency most affects sustainability efforts and viability in post-consumer recycling facilities in the market's future.

Market Segmentation

Source:

• Plastic Bottles: The largest source segment in 2024. High recycling focus due to their prevalence in post-consumer litter and international efforts to reduce plastic pollution. Used extensively in packaging, textiles, and new bottle manufacturing, especially recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

Application:

• Packaging: The leading application segment in 2024. Driven by eco-awareness and regulatory impetus, recycled plastics serve as sustainable alternatives for food, beverage, industrial packaging, films, bottles, and containers, supporting the circular economy.

Plastic Type:

• Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET): The market leader in 2024. Widely used in beverage bottles, food packages, and fabrics. Recycled PET (rPET) is key to circular economy practices, with improved quality making it suitable for high-performance applications and growing consumer demand.

Country:

• Germany: Held the largest market share in 2024, attributed to advanced recycling infrastructure, supportive government programs, and strong industry adoption across automotive, packaging, and manufacturing sectors.

Regional Insights

Germany dominates the Europe recycled plastics market, holding the largest share in 2024. Its robust recycling infrastructure with advanced sorting and processing technologies, alongside government initiatives such as extended producer responsibility and waste management rules, foster extensive use of recycled plastics. Strong industrial demand and consumer environmental awareness amplify Germany's influence, making it a key driver of market growth across Europe.

Recent Developments & News

• April 2025: DePoly secured USD 23 Million seed funding to establish a 500-ton-per-year PET recycling plant in Monthey, Switzerland, using fossil-free chemical recycling.
• March 2025: OMV opened its ReOil chemical recycling plant in Schwechat, Austria, with a processing capacity of 16,000 tons per year for hard-to-recycle plastics.
• March 2025: Eni’s chemical division, Versalis, inaugurated a recycled plastic production plant in Porto Marghera, Italy, focusing on packaging and construction materials.
• February 2025: KINGFA launched a chemical recycling facility in Montalbo, Spain, targeting 30,000 tons per year of high-performance recycled plastics.

Key Players

• Müller-Guttenbrunn Group
• MBA Polymers, Inc.
• Paprec Group
• Morssinkhof
• Rymoplast

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