Italian compostable bioplastic sector faces critical transition, study shows

A study by SDA Bocconi School of Management, presented at the 3rd Forum of Compostable Bioplastics in Rome, warns that Italy’s bioplastic sector is reaching a pivotal point. After more than a decade of growth, the industry now confronts intensified competition from Asian producers, especially China, where biobased plastic output has tripled in three years.

The research, covering 252 Italian companies employing 2,838 workers and producing 119,100 tonnes of material with €656 million in revenue, notes a 2024 decline in enterprises (‑9.4 %), employment (‑2.6 %), turnover (‑6.8 %) and output (‑2 %). Only 7 % of firms view product innovation as a priority, highlighting a need to shift from a commodity mindset to higher‑value applications in food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Investment in research is deemed essential to improve thermal resistance, mechanical and optical properties, barrier performance and processability, thereby strengthening sustainability and competitiveness.

Experts stress that compostable bioplastics can lower micro‑plastic pollution and, when correctly collected and anaerobically digested, become part of a circular system that yields compost and biomethane, contributing to soil health and decarbonisation.