Biodegradable Tableware Market Report 2025 (Global Edition)

Market Insights

Key Drivers of the Biodegradable Tableware Market

• Growing use of non-toxic and petroleum-free goods is accelerating market growth

Growing apprehensions about the detrimental consequences of non-biodegradable plastics are among the primary elements supporting market growth. In addition, the demand for biodegradable tableware is expected to increase in the upcoming years due to strict restrictions implemented by various governments worldwide that forbid the use of non-biodegradable plastics. Because biodegradable tableware is single-use and guarantees a high level of hygiene standards, it is also crucial for preventing infections and the spread of illnesses. This is especially important in hospitals and other locations where there is a high risk of contamination, which is fueling the growth of the biodegradable tableware market.
The global market for biodegradable tableware is driven by growing awareness of environmental issues. The possibility for producing and utilizing biodegradable tableware is growing due to the rise in newly established green firms throughout the world. The industry is expanding as a result of rising awareness of the harmful impacts of plastic, particularly on aquatic and avian species. Disposable plate convenience is combined with the advantage of biodegradable tableware, which has little to no environmental impact. In recent years, it has increased the global market's compound annual growth rate for biodegradable tableware.
Green disposable tableware is advantageous for quick service restaurants (QSRs), caterers, and luxury hotel chains. Disposable tableware manufacturers have teamed up with a number of QSR and hotel & restaurant chains to employ compostable or biodegradable dinnerware in an effort to increase the market penetration of their products. Finnish multinational packaging manufacturer Huhtamaki Oyj is present all over the world. The company is present at 116 locations worldwide and 37 countries. The BioWare CPLA cutlery range from the firm combines superior strength and sustainability. The 100% biodegradable plastic used to make BioWare CPLA cutlery is called Ingeo biopolymer, and it comes from sustainable resources.

• Growing concerns about the environment driving the demand for biodegradable tableware

Growing environmental concerns due to pollution are fueling the market value rise of biodegradable disposable dinnerware. Growing worries about the negative impacts of plastic tableware and strict government limits on plastic use will cause manufacturers and customers to look for other solutions, which will increase demand for disposable biodegradable dinnerware. Increases in the e-commerce industry will also contribute to an increase in the market value of biodegradable disposable dinnerware.
Over the course of the next ten years, there will be 22 million tons—or perhaps as much as 58 million tons—of rubbish that finds its way into rivers and eventually the oceans. The "good" news is that this estimate accounts for thousands of audacious pledges made by businesses and governments to lower the pollution caused by plastic. A situation where everything went as usual would be nearly twice as horrible without those promises. If waste management practices remain unchanged from current levels, 99 million tons of unmanaged plastic garbage are projected to enter the environment by 2030. Without extensive action, a new analysis estimates that over 1:3 billion tons of plastic garbage will enter the world's oceans and land during the next 20 years.
The global market for biodegradable tableware is driven by growing awareness of environmental issues. The possibility for producing and utilizing biodegradable tableware is growing due to the rise in newly established green firms throughout the world. The industry is expanding as a result of rising awareness of the harmful impacts of plastic, particularly on aquatic and avian species. Disposable plate convenience is combined with the advantage of biodegradable tableware, which has little to no environmental impact. In recent years, it has increased the global market's compound annual growth rate for biodegradable tableware.
S.K. Innovation Co. Ltd.-backed Marine Innovation, a social enterprise, unveiled environmentally friendly dinner plates made from seaweed byproducts in March 2021. The dishes' creative, environmentally friendly patterns are modeled from scallops and shellfish. Furthermore, the eco-friendly products offered by the company, such as paper plates and cups, are designed to be used in both household and commercial settings.

Restraints for the Biodegradable Tableware Market

• High cost of raw materials and taxes is declining the market growth

Compared to standard disposable flatware, biodegradable plates, cups, spoons, and forks are more expensive. The largest obstacle to market expansion is this. Furthermore, some biodegradable polymers generate greenhouse gases during the breakdown process, despite their many environmental benefits. Because bamboo is a costly raw material, the market for biodegradable disposable tableware is significantly impacted. Since expensive raw materials make the finished product more expensive, there will be less demand. This is demonstrated by the sluggish adoption of biodegradable tableware in poorer nations, which has an impact on the entire market.
For example, in India, The Hotel Association wants the government to lower the price of bagasse-made cutlery by lowering GST to standardize its use throughout the business, which is the biggest user of this type of packaging material, and so eliminate the government-mandated use of plastic and thermocol. They are astonished, therefore, to learn that the environmentally friendly bagasse had much higher taxes than plastic. They claim that the ongoing epidemic, growing fuel costs, and a sizeable part going to food delivery aggregators have all reduced their profit margins and left them with less room to purchase pricey biodegradable cutlery.

Opportunity for the Biodegradable Tableware Market

• Hospitality Sector Likely to intensify Biodegradable Tableware Sales

The main elements driving demand for biodegradable tableware are its ease to use and user-friendly nature. Flatware is utilized in many different contexts all throughout the world because of its versatility. Additionally, a dynamic shift in consumer purchasing patterns toward upscale cutlery goods has been examined; this could increase demand. In both rich and developing nations, the number of hotels and resorts is steadily rising, with a potential focus on biodegradable goods. Forks and spoons will account for the majority of demand for cutlery during the evaluation period.
A study on science direct claims that because the incompatible waste parts were combined, the resultant waste cannot be recycled and was either modeled as being burned or landfilled. It is commonly known that for recycling to be successful, waste streams must be homogeneous. For example, organic waste cannot be recycled with plastic, and non-biodegradable and non-compostable wastes cannot be recycled with organic waste (composting).
According to the study's findings, producing waste that exclusively consists of compostable components and using biodegradable and compostable plastic cutlery are the best decisions in terms of the environment. On the other hand, if plastics are not biodegradable, then only waste treatments without material recovery (landfill and incineration) can be used, neither mechanical recycling nor biological recycling (composting) can be performed.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Biodegradable Tableware Market

The demand for biodegradable dinnerware has been adversely affected by the COVID-19 outbreak as a result of business closures and processing activities being suspended across various industries. Global marketplace closures are the result of strict regulatory regulations. The food industry's adoption of eco-friendly dinnerware has been directly impacted by restaurants' adoption of safe online delivery.
According to research, in 2020 there were over 69 billion plastic face masks and medical gloves used globally each month (Kalina and Tilley, 2020). The developing nations that already had difficulty managing plastic garbage before the epidemic are under a great deal of pressure due to the rise in plastic output (Parashar and Hait, 2020).The quantity of plastic used for packaging in food takeout and e-commerce further contributed to this (Parashar and Hait, 2020). This is partially due to the scarcity of bio-based plastics, whose use is less harmful to the environment (Silva et al., 2021). Individual pastries, bread, and even vegetables are wrapped in plastic bags to prevent other people from handling what you buy; these establishments, which previously outlawed plastic bags, are suddenly using them again. Coffee shops now solely employ single-use plastic spoons, wrapped straws, and disposable plastic cups and lids instead of rewarding patrons for using reusable coffee mugs as they did only a few months ago. This is because the coronavirus pandemic simultaneously gave rise to another one, the single-use plastic pandemic.

However, the market for biodegradable tableware is predicted to expand optimally in the post-COVID-19 era as end-user applications for eco-friendly items are becoming more and more popular in both residential and commercial settings, and food services and marketplaces are increasingly entering the open phase.

The market for biodegradable tableware is expanding at a promising rate thanks to a number of factors including rising consumer awareness of environmental issues and a move toward sustainable alternatives, as well as government restrictions on traditional plastic products. The market for biodegradable tableware is generally promising, emphasizing eco-friendliness and sustainability.

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