ECONOMY AND MARKET
In 2025, the Italian bioplastics industry contracted due to high costs and inflation, with food packaging film holding strong while non-food and agricultural sectors suffered.
Despite 25 + company closures, specialized jobs only dipped by-2.6 %, and the sector now counts on upcoming 2026 EU regulations to unlock investments and spur recovery.
NAVIGATING MARKET STAGNATION AND REGULATORY UNCERTAINTY
Italian technology plast / October 2026
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The Italian biodegradable and compostable plastics industry, historically celebrated as a beacon of ecological innovation and industrial transition, faced a challenging macroeconomic landscape in 2025. According to the 12th Annual Report presented by Assobioplastiche and conducted by the independent market research firm Plastic Consult, the sector has entered a period of forced consolidation and structural correction after a decade of continuous growth between 2012 and 2022.
A TOUGH YEAR IN FIGURES: THE 2025 CONTRACTION In 2025, the sector registered a downturn across all its key performance indicators, reflecting the compounding pressures of high production costs, flat consumer demand, and intense low-cost competition. The-2.0 % decline in volume was notably sharper than that of conventional virgin thermoplastics, which only dipped by-0.2 %, and even worse than recycled polymers(-1.6 %). This marks a substantial structural shift from the 2012 – 2022 boom, during which volumes had skyrocketed by + 226 % and revenues by + 218 %. The contraction in turnover was exacerbated by a significant deflation in the average values of base chemicals, raw materials, and semi-finished products, although Middle Eastern geopolitical tensions in early 2026 have begun to volatilely reverse this pricing trend. „ The 2025 figures do not surprise us: they are the logical consequence of economic dumping, stagnant consumption, and pervasive regulatory uncertainties. However, precisely within this challenging framework, a proactive vitality is emerging, which represents the true insurance policy for our future.“— Luca Bianconi, President of Assobioplastiche www. plastmagazine. it