Polyethylene glycol price December 2025 and outlook (see chart below)
- India:US$1.36/KG, unchanged
Business Analytiq assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this site. The information contained in this site is provided on an “as is” basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness, or timeliness.
NEED A QUICK DOWNLOAD?
ACCESS TO OUR FULL DATABASE IS US$399/YEAR, WITH A 30-DAY $50 TRIAL
GET THAT DOWNLOAD IN 3 MINUTES!
BusinessAnalytiq provides a database of hundreds of market & price trend data, as well as online tools to set up benchmarks and leading indicators.
Polyethylene glycol price index
This post is a summary of the Polyethylene glycol price developments. The price developments of Polyethylene glycol are expressed in US$ prices converted FX rates applicable at the time when the price was valid. Polyethylene glycol price index developments are calculated from multiple separate sources of data to ensure statistical accuracy.
The outlook for Polyethylene glycol prices is generated from different inputs including:
- Very recent price developments of immediate cost drivers of Polyethylene glycol prices
- Recent price developments of underlying feedstocks which drive the price of Polyethylene glycol
- Market futures for both cost drives and feedstocks of Polyethylene glycol prices
- Adjustment of current supply/demand imbalances in the Polyethylene glycol market
- Longer term trends in likely demand conditions
What is polyethylene glycol and what is it used for
Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a family of polyether polymers made from repeating ethylene glycol units; different average molecular weights are denoted by numbers (for example PEG-400, PEG-3350). PEG is widely used as an excipient in pharmaceuticals (laxatives, ointment bases, solvents and tablet/capsule lubricants), in personal-care products and cosmetics, as a dispersant and humectant, and in laboratory/biotech applications (protein/DNA precipitation, crowding agents, hydrogels and surface coatings).
How is polyethylene glycol produced
Industrial PEG is produced by ring-opening polymerization (ethoxylation) of ethylene oxide using a starter (water, ethylene glycol or a lower-MW PEG) and a catalyst (commonly basic catalysts such as NaOH or KOH). The process can be run in liquid or gas phase and is controlled to obtain the desired average molecular weight and distribution. Higher molecular-weight PEGs are often made by sequential addition or by using lower-MW PEG as an initiator.
How large is the global market for polyethylene glycol
Estimates vary by source and metric (value vs. volume). Recent market reports place the PEG market value in the mid-single-billion USD range for 2024—for example ~USD 3.9–4.6 billion—and project steady growth (low-to-mid single-digit CAGR) driven by pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and industrial uses. Volume estimates from industry summaries put global PEG production/consumption on the order of a few hundred thousand tonnes per year (reports cite figures in the ~0.45–0.58 million tonnes range for 2024). Because different analysts use varying scope and product definitions, figures should be treated as ranges rather than a single definitive number. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Where is polyethylene glycol produced
PEG is produced worldwide, with major production and consumption concentrated in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Global chemical companies and regional specialists manufacture PEG — notable players include BASF, Dow, Clariant, Lotte Chemical, Sanyo Chemical (and others across Europe, North America, China, India, Japan and South Korea). Many producers operate multiple manufacturing sites to serve regional markets and to supply pharmaceutical-grade and industrial-grade product lines.