Spain's plastics sector turns over 29 billion euros and now accounts for 2% of GDP

Spain's plastics industry is consolidating its weight as a strategic pillar of the economy. According to the Equiplast 2026 Study, presented at the Fira de Barcelona show, the sector is approaching 29 billion euros in revenue, equivalent to 2% of national GDP and 5.22% of industrial output, having grown 18% between 2021 and 2024 despite regulatory pressure and geopolitical challenges. The industry comprises 3,633 companies — concentrated along the Mediterranean arc, with Catalonia and the Valencian Community accounting for nearly half of activity — and employs more than 107,000 people. The converters subsector generates 93% of total business (26.815 billion euros), driven by packaging, automotive and construction, the latter growing 39% in plastic use over the past three years; recycling turns over 1.454 billion euros across 184 companies, though it operates at just 69% of capacity due to cheap virgin plastic imports; and machinery, moulds and equipment adds 622 million euros with a strong export focus. Spain holds 15% of the EU's recycling capacity (2.0 million tonnes), second only to Germany. The study warns of Spain's tax on non-reusable plastic packaging, the EU's PPWR regulation, raw material price rises above 30% and imports from China and Turkey that have grown up to 150% in a decade. Equiplast, gathering 400 companies from 18 countries, runs until 5 June alongside Expoquimia.