ECONOMY AND MARKET
PLASTIC BALE PRICES SOAR IN SOUTHERN EUROPE
Italian technology plast / June-July 2026
028
Plastic bale prices in southern Europe, especially in Italy, have surged in recent months, with HDPE and PP bales recording sharp increases due to tighter supply and higher-quality material demand. Meanwhile, prices in northwest Europe remain relatively stable, widening regional disparities and putting pressure on recyclers’ margins
Sam Lovatt, Editor – Recycling, ICIS
Waste plastic bale prices in Italy have jumped in the past month, while high density polyethylene( HDPE) bales sold at the Spanish Ecoembes auction have also seen a significant price increase. The price rises come alongside comparatively stable prices in northwest Europe( NWE), creating a large disparity between the two regions and placing significantly more pressure on the margins of recyclers sourcing material from southern Europe. While higher virgin prices give many recycled pellet sellers more room to negotiate, whether they will be able to pass higher costs on to end users in full remains to be seen.
• Significant price rises seen for multiple bale types across Italy and Spain.
• NWE and southern Europe bale markets“ like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”.
• Questions remain over whether recyclers will be able to pass on higher costs to end users. HDPE post-consumer bale prices in Italy jumped to around € 600 / tonne ex works in the auction held towards the end of March, up from close to € 300 / tonne in February. www. plastmagazine. it