Market Report
No news is not good news in recycling
NL-Tilburg, 13 July 2025
Our Belgian depots are closed on July 21st for independence day.
There must be more reasons than just the public holidays in Belgium (11 July for some and 21 July for everyone) and in France (14 July) that the market is so quiet. It's holidays everywhere, of course, and it is noticeable. So, there is little news to report of the market, other than that local demand for all grades of recovered paper is not overflowing, but also that Asian buyers, at least, are in no hurry to try to possibly lower prices. Exports therefore will probably pull through. That fact does not seem to bother the European paper and board industry, as the pressure on prices of packaging board grades remains. And this despite the still reduced generation, which is expected to reduce further in the coming weeks. Strange, by the way, in an economy that is still supposed to be growing, according to figures in Europe. That will probably be growth without packaging or growth due to higher prices, so the economy is growing in euros but not in volume. In any case, industrial production is lower already every month in several EU countries compared to the same period in the previous year.
Things are not just weak in recovered paper land only. For some time, prices of (wood) pulp have been falling and stocks of it at producers and at ports have been rising.
In plastic recycling, although a certain status quo has emerged, price pressure remains because for recycling plastics there are still cheaper (virgin) alternatives. And in textile recycling, we see export prices continue to fall. Markets hit hard by war and geopolitical tensions are still in the same malaise and there is currently little prospect of improvement. Consumers, as well as
textile producers and retailers, are becoming more aware of the need to recycle, but this is leadingto more supply rather than more sales. All this, combined with the good weather in these summer months, seems to translate into the old Dutch saying: vrouwen bloot, handel dood. (women bare, trade dead).
Price indication
Price indication in Europe for low grades of recovered paper, sorted, baled and ex works are now between € 60 and € 80 per tonne. These prices are depending on quality, available volume, region and loaded weight.
Look here at the Price chart >>
The price chart gives an indication of the price of mixed paper, separately collected, in the Netherlands free delivered mill over the last 10 years.
Scrolling over the top of the columns gives the exact price indication in Euro's per ton.