Global Certified-Circular Plastic Market to Expand

The global certified-circular plastic market, estimated at 2.03 billion US-Dollar in 2025, is forecast to expand to 5.77 billion US-Dollar by 2035, according to Towards Packaging, a sister firm of the international active consulting and market intelligence company Precedence Research. As described, technological advancements and the increasing need for investments in infrastructure development fuel this growth.

As reported, Europe dominated the global market by holding the highest market share of approximately 35 – 38 percent in 2025, supported by strict EU regulations on recycled content, plastic taxes, and extended producer responsibility (EPR) frameworks. “The region emphasizes traceability and sustainability certifications, driving the adoption of mass-balance and mechanically recycled certified materials,” the information said. “Brand owners and packaging converters increasingly use certified circular polymers to comply with regulatory requirements and reduce carbon footprints, particularly in food-grade and high-performance applications.” Germany would play a leading role in Europe’s market due to its strong recycling infrastructure, advanced chemical industry, and strict waste management policies.

According to Towards Packaging, Asia Pacific is expected to experience significant growth in the market, “as governments strengthen plastic waste management policies and multinational brands expand sustainable packaging initiatives in the region”. Rapid industrialization, growing consumer awareness, and increasing investment in advanced recycling facilities were supporting certified circular plastic adoption. “Export-oriented manufacturers also adopt certification schemes to comply with sustainability requirements from global customers in Europe and North America.” A driving force for regional demand is China “due to strong circular economy policies, technological leadership in recycling systems, and corporate sustainability strategies”.

Japanese packaging and electronics manufacturers would also increasingly use certified circular plastics to enhance product sustainability and meet global compliance standards. “The country’s focus on material efficiency and waste reduction supports long-term growth in certified polymer adoption.”

Initiatives by companies
The global consulting and market intelligence firm Towards Packaging referred, in that context, to several companies in the certified-circular plastic market and their offerings:

• “ExxonMobil & Valgroup: Use advanced recycling technology to produce certified-circular polymers for high-performance collation shrink films and food packaging.
• Dow: Offers the REVOLOOP portfolio of certified circular resins, including r-HDPE and r-LDPE, for use in shrink films and industrial applications.
• SABIC: Provides certified circular polyethylene and polypropylene through its TRUCIRCLE initiative by processing feedstock from mixed plastic waste.
• BASF: Converts plastic waste into pyrolysis oil via its ChemCycling project to manufacture new, high-performance Ccycled plastics.
• Tesco: Facilitates the collection of soft plastics to be chemically recycled into food-grade packaging, such as cheese wrappers.
• Lucro Plastecycle: Upcycles post-consumer flexible waste and Ocean Bound Plastic into high-quality granules and recycled packaging films.
• ReCircle: Operates as a recovery enterprise that provides brands with traceable, ethically sourced circular plastic feedstocks.
• Banyan Nation: Produces high-quality, human-contact-safe recycled resins from post-consumer waste for the FMCG bottle industry.
• Berry Global: Manufacturers food-grade containers and flexible packaging using certified circular resins sourced from chemical recycling partners.
• Unilever: Integrates certified circular polymers into consumer packaging, such as ice cream tubs and bouillon containers, to reduce virgin plastic use.”

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(Published in GLOBAL RECYCLING Magazine 1/2026, Page 30, Photo: MSV, AI-generated)