Polymer demand growth in Europe for 2013 is expected to be static compared with 2012, according to Applied Market Information Ltd. AMI calculates that the market for thermoplastics in Europe is currently 36.5 mln tons, a volume that is still nearly 4 mln tons less than the peak it hit in 2007. Although during 2010, and into 2011, the industry made a modest recovery from the devastating effects of the global downturn of 2008 and 2009, by the last quarter of 2011 the recovery was beginning to run out of steam in the face of the looming Eurozone crisis. Although the drop in demand over 2012 and 2013 has been far less severe than in 2008-2009, polymer producers and processors alike have been more savvy about managing their inventories and have not got caught out as they did in 2008 - the decline in government spending, manufacturing and consumer confidence still resulted in an overall contraction of polymer demand of just over 1% in 2012. However, while the market has undoubtedly been tough over the past five years, most companies have come through the downturn and continue to thrive and grow through the use of innovative technologies, material developments and new application gains. The discipline of the downturn has made companies cut costs, preserve cash and be judicious in their investments. Those that are surviving are increasingly thriving. Furthermore, AMI views the industry now at the bottom of the cycle with demand expected to pick up again for 2014. Germany, the engine of the European chemicals and plastic industry, has been the strongest of the West European markets. Although polymer consumption was down marginally in 2012, current market demand of around 8.2 mln tons is only fractionally off the demand levels of 2007. The market has been sustained by the strength of its small and medium sized processors which have often developed leading roles in niche markets. Central Europe also continues to show positive growth, even if some of the smaller countries remain vulnerable to external shocks. Poland is the only country in Europe which has not technically gone into recession since 2007. Although polymer demand growth has weakened, it is still managing to show some positive trends for appliance manufacturing and consumer packaging, even though automotive production in 2012 contracted substantially. However, automotive production has helped to sustain demand in other Central and East European countries, particularly Slovakia and to a lesser extent, Hungary.

在应用程序水平上，聚合物的包装需求一直持续到2012年，这是欧洲处理的所有聚合物中几乎一半的核算，但是降级，轻量级和增加的回收量的趋势会影响对原始树脂的整体需求。但是，物质替代和新产品开发中仍然存在机会，例如宠物瓶，用于取代玻璃瓶的酒精饮料包装；屏障板和多层刚性和柔性结构代替玻璃和锡罐；塑料一件封闭，以取代两件式封闭和金属上衣。尽管预计明年市场将重新增长，但AMI承认这种影响将是斑驳的，并且在整个欧洲塑料行业中将继续有赢家和输家。随着其经济在结构上的重新调整，南欧国家将继续看到需求不断增长，而德国和北欧市场（英国贝纳克斯，英国，北欧市场）被认为是经济上更加合理的，这应该有助于推动至少与增长相符GDP。尽管塑料行业的成功将取决于西方的增长，但仍预计中欧国家仍将表现出良好的增长，这是对汽车生产和电气制造的持续投资。但是，体积增长将继续被轻巧和下调的趋势所抵消，这意味着聚合物需求增长不太可能超过GDP增长率。 As a result it is likely to be 2020 or beyond before the industry see demand back at its 2007 level again.

塑料材料的需求在2012年为3.7亿吨，根据塑料塑料协会，代表欧盟的27个成员国。在这一需求中，包装占44.3％，建筑和建造为19.2％，汽车为5.9％。即便如此，与2011年相比，初级塑料产量降低了6.3％。该报告表明，在全球范围内，复合年增长率约为8.7％。这是一种恢复，因为经过50年的持续增长，在2008年的经济危机期间，全球塑料产量下降了。整个欧洲的整个情况都不那么积极。欧盟27个国家 /地区对塑料材料的估计需求在2012年为45.5亿吨，比2011年低3.2％。包装申请占40.2％的最大比例，建筑和建设为20.8％，汽车占8％。欧盟二手塑料的总回收率，包括回收和能源回收率为59.6％：对于英国，利率增加到27.3％。对于回收，特别是欧洲的平均率为25.1％，英国的平均利率为19.9％。