Get the latest insights on price movement and trend analysis of Glycerin in different regions across the world (Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East Africa).

Why did the Glycerine Price Change in July 2025? Glycerine Spot Price showed an overall upward trajectory in Q2 2025, with crude glycerine averaging a 1.86% month-on-month rise and refined USP 99.5% averaging a 1.69% monthly increase; June saw spot prices at USD 446/MT for crude (up 1.13% from May) and USD 1,938/MT for refined (up 3.3% from May).

The average crude glycerol export price stood at $698 per ton in April 2025, declining by -7.1% against the previous month.

In June 2023, the price of Crude Glycerol was $448 per ton (CIF, Italy), experiencing an 11% increase compared to the previous month.

The Brazilian crude glycerol market expanded significantly to $56M in 2024, rising by 6.2% against the previous year. The market value increased at an average annual rate of +2.2% from 2012 to 2024; the trend pattern indicated some noticeable fluctuations being recorded throughout the analyzed period. Crude glycerol consumption peaked at $67M in 2022; however, from 2023 to 2024, consumption remained at a lower figure.

Q4 2024 saw a sharp glycerine price rise (+26% YoY Dec) on demand & global shifts. H2 2025 may see softening on ample supply & stable palm oil.

In 2023, overseas shipments of crude glycerol, glycerine waters and lyes decreased by -20.1% to 30K tons, falling for the second year in a row after two years of growth.

According to Cognitive Market Research, the global Glycerin market size will be USD 2.0 billion in 2024 and will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.2% from 2024 to 2031. Market Dynamics of Glycerin Market

Key Drivers for Glycerin Market

Expanding Demand from the Personal Care and Cosmetics Industry

Glycerin is a widely used ingredient in personal care and cosmetic products due to its excellent moisturizing, humectant, and skin-soothing properties. As global consumer demand for skincare, haircare, and hygiene products continues to rise especially in emerging economies the need for high-quality, plant-based and non-toxic ingredients like glycerin is growing steadily. The clean beauty trend further amplifies this demand, as brands seek safe, natural, and sustainable ingredients to align with eco-conscious consumer preferences. This robust uptake from the personal care sector remains one of the strongest growth engines for the glycerin market.

Increasing Utilization in Pharmaceutical and Food Industries

Glycerin is gaining widespread application in the pharmaceutical and food & beverage sectors due to its non-toxic, sweet-tasting, and solvent-like qualities. In pharmaceuticals, it is used as a carrier in syrups, lozenges, and capsules, while in food, it acts as a humectant, preservative, and low-calorie sweetener. The surge in demand for processed foods, oral medications, and wellness supplements especially in the wake of growing health awareness has led to increased industrial consumption of refined glycerin. As regulatory bodies approve glycerin for diverse end uses, its importance as a versatile, functional ingredient continues to grow.

Key Restraints for Glycerin Market

The availability and development of synthetic glycerin alternatives hinder the Glycerin industry growth

One major restraint in the glycerin market is the increasing availability and adoption of synthetic alternatives, which are chemically engineered to replicate the properties of natural glycerin. These synthetic versions, often derived from petrochemical sources or advanced bio-engineering processes, can offer greater consistency, purity, and tailored functionality depending on the end-use application. Industries such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and personal care may prefer synthetic variants for applications requiring strict formulation control or allergen-free standards. As research and innovation in synthetic substitutes advance, they present a growing competitive threat to natural glycerin reducing its demand and putting pressure on pricing and market share for traditional glycerin producers.

The market also faces significant difficulties related to fluctuating raw material prices

Another critical restraint is the high volatility in raw material prices, particularly those linked to biodiesel production and vegetable oils like palm, soybean, or coconut key feedstocks for natural glycerin. Since glycerin is often a byproduct of biodiesel manufacturing, its supply and cost are tightly linked to biodiesel market dynamics and global oilseed crop yields. Any disruption in agricultural output due to weather, geopolitical factors, or trade policies can lead to sharp price swings. This unpredictability affects manufacturers' ability to plan, price competitively, and maintain stable margins. As a result, cost instability discourages long-term investment and creates operational challenges for businesses reliant on glycerin as a core ingredient.

Key Trends of Glycerin Market

Surge in Bio-based and Sustainable Glycerin Production

Driven by growing environmental awareness and demand for renewable alternatives, manufacturers are increasingly producing bio-based glycerin derived from vegetable oils and biodiesel by-products over petroleum-based synthetic versions. This shift supports circular economy principles, reduces carbon emissions, and aligns with consumer and regulatory preferences for green ingredients. It’s also prompting major investments in refining infrastructure, such as the expansion of biobased glycerin facilities in Europe, making high-purity, eco-friendly glycerin more accessible across industries.

Rising Use in Personal Care, Food & Specialty Applications

Glycerin is seeing increased integration into personal care, food, pharmaceutical, and specialty chemical products, thanks to its moisturizing, humectant, and stabilizing pro...

The global crude glycerol market is experiencing robust growth, driven by increasing demand from various downstream industries. While precise market size figures for the base year (2025) are not provided, leveraging industry reports and understanding the typical scale of this market, a reasonable estimate for the 2025 market size would be $1.5 billion. Considering a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of let's assume 6% (a conservative estimate given the growth drivers), the market is projected to reach approximately $2.2 billion by 2033. This expansion is primarily fueled by the rising adoption of biodiesel production, which generates crude glycerol as a byproduct. The burgeoning bio-based chemicals sector, which uses crude glycerol as a raw material for producing value-added products like polyols and epichlorohydrin, further contributes to market growth. Technological advancements in purification and processing techniques are also enabling wider utilization of crude glycerol, enhancing its market appeal. However, several factors restrain the market's growth potential. Fluctuations in biodiesel production, linked to government policies and feedstock prices, can significantly impact the supply of crude glycerol. The cost-effectiveness of purifying crude glycerol for various applications remains a challenge, limiting its adoption in some sectors. Furthermore, the availability of alternative feedstocks for specific applications poses competitive pressure on crude glycerol. Despite these challenges, the long-term outlook for the crude glycerol market remains positive due to the sustained growth in biodiesel production, coupled with continuous innovation in the development of novel applications. The market's segmentation, including regions and specific applications, will be crucial in determining future investment strategies and market penetration for various players.

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The glycerol market share is expected to increase by USD 1.18 billion from 2020 to 2025, and the market’s growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 7.55%.

This glycerol market research report provides valuable insights on the post COVID-19 impact on the market, which will help companies evaluate their business approaches. Furthermore, this report extensively covers glycerol market segmentation by application (pharma and personal care, foods and beverages, alkyd resins, polyether polyols, and others), source (biodiesel, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and soap industry), and geography (APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and MEA). The glycerol market report also offers information on several market vendors, including Aemetis Inc., Archer Daniels Midland Co., Cargill Inc., Croda International Plc, Dow Inc., Emery Oleochemicals LLC, IOI Corporation Berhad, Lumitos AG, The Procter and Gamble Co., and Wilmar International Ltd. among others.

What will the Glycerol Market Size be During the Forecast Period?

Download the Free Report Sample to Unlock the Glycerol Market Size for the Forecast Period and Other Important Statistics

'Increasing demand for non-petroleum product alternatives for cosmetics will facilitate the glycerol esters market growth in APAC over the forecast period.'

Glycerol Market: Key Drivers, Trends, and Challenges

The favorable government policies is notably driving the glycerol market growth, although factors such as fluctuating raw material prices may impede the market growth. Our research analysts have studied the historical data and deduced the key market drivers and the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the glycerol industry. The holistic analysis of the drivers will help in deducing end goals and refining marketing strategies to gain a competitive edge.

Key Glycerol Market Driver

The favorable government policies is one of the key drivers supporting the glycerol market share growth. Acid rains, greenhouse gas emissions, ozone layer depletion, air pollution, and effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on water bodies are being closely monitored by the regulatory bodies. Meanwhile, glycerol has been earmarked as an eco-friendly product that does not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, hazardous pollutants, and VOCs and, thus, is promoted by the government and preferred by the consumers. REACH has implemented certain rules in Europe to promote the use of oleochemicals and biodegradable substances to manufacture surfactants and detergents. This has had a significant impact on the glycerol market in Europe as it is widely used in products such as finger paints, anti-freeze products, biocides, and others. Thus, favorable government policies are expected to significantly drive the growth of the global glycerol market during the forecast period as well.

Key Glycerol Market Trend

The increasing demand for glycerol in propylene glycol and epichlorohydrin production is another factor supporting the glycerol market share growth. It is mainly used in the synthesis of propylene glycol and epichlorohydrin as well as their derivatives. Epichlorohydrin is manufactured by treating glycerol and hydrogen chloride. There is an increasing demand for epichlorohydrin as it is used as a precursor in the synthesis of many organic compounds, such as glycidyl nitrate, which is used in propellants and explosives. In addition, epichlorohydrin is used to manufacture tea bags and coffee filters and in water purification applications. Thus, the demand for propylene glycol and epichlorohydrin is expected to augment market growth during the forecast period.

Key Glycerol Market Challenge

The fluctuating raw materials prices may impede the market growth during the forecast period. Vegetable oil or animal fat are the two main raw materials required to manufacture glycerol. The supply of animal fat remains inelastic, owing to farmers and ranchers not raising their animals for fat and the year-on-year production rate being marginally flat. This has been the major factor underlying the fluctuating prices of animal fat. Furthermore, the demand for these raw materials has increased in producing biodiesel, which has also contributed to the increase in animal fat and vegetable oil prices. Thus, the inelastic raw material supply and the fluctuations in the prices of these materials are hindering the market growth during the forecast period.

This glycerol market analysis report also provides detailed information on other upcoming trends and challenges that will have a far-reaching effect on the market growth. The actionable insights on the trends and challenges will help companies evaluate and develop growth strategies for 2021-2025.

Parent Market Analysis

Technavio categorizes the glycerol market as a part of the global commodity chemicals market. Our research report has extensively covered external factors influencing the parent mark

After two years of decline, supplies from abroad of crude glycerol, glycerine waters and lyes increased by 204% to 2.1K tons in 2023.

In February 2025, the average crude glycerol import price amounted to $426 per ton, surging by 4% against the previous month.

In 2024, the Malaysian crude glycerol market decreased by -5.6% to $18M, falling for the second consecutive year after two years of growth. Over the period under review, consumption recorded a mild downturn. Crude glycerol consumption peaked at $25M in 2022; however, from 2023 to 2024, consumption failed to regain momentum.

The Southeast Asian crude glycerol market amounted to $168M in 2024, growing by 2.8% against the previous year. The market value increased at an average annual rate of +1.7% from 2012 to 2024; the trend pattern indicated some noticeable fluctuations being recorded in certain years. The level of consumption peaked at $193M in 2022; however, from 2023 to 2024, consumption stood at a somewhat lower figure.

For the fourth year in a row, Indonesia recorded growth in shipments abroad of crude glycerol, glycerine waters and lyes, which increased by 2.3% to 834K tons in 2023.

51726 Global export shipment records of Glycerin with prices, volume & current Buyer's suppliers relationships based on actual Global export trade database.

The UK crude glycerol market rose to $50M in 2024, growing by 4.9% against the previous year. Overall, consumption saw a relatively flat trend pattern. Crude glycerol consumption peaked at $55M in 2022; however, from 2023 to 2024, consumption stood at a somewhat lower figure.

The global medicinal vegetable glycerin market is experiencing robust growth, driven by increasing demand across diverse sectors. The market size in 2025 is estimated at $2.5 billion, exhibiting a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7% from 2025 to 2033. This expansion is primarily fueled by the surging popularity of natural and organic products in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food industries. The rising prevalence of chronic diseases necessitates the use of safe and effective pharmaceutical ingredients, further boosting the demand for vegetable glycerin, a versatile, non-toxic, and readily available component. Moreover, the growing popularity of electronic cigarettes, which utilize vegetable glycerin as a base ingredient, is contributing significantly to market growth. However, the market also faces certain restraints, including price fluctuations in raw materials and potential supply chain disruptions. Segmentation reveals that the cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications are currently the largest revenue generators, although the food and electronic cigarette segments are projected to experience significant growth in the coming years. Leading companies such as Chemnovatic, Viterra, and P&G Chemicals are actively involved in the production and distribution of medicinal vegetable glycerin, shaping the competitive landscape. Regional analysis indicates that North America and Europe are currently dominant markets, although Asia Pacific is expected to witness rapid growth in the coming years driven by increasing consumer awareness and rising disposable incomes. The forecast for 2033 projects a market value exceeding $4.5 billion. This projection accounts for the sustained growth in the aforementioned key application segments, coupled with anticipated expansion into emerging markets. The continued preference for natural ingredients in consumer products, coupled with advancements in pharmaceutical applications requiring high-purity vegetable glycerin, are critical factors influencing this positive outlook. However, challenges related to maintaining consistent supply and mitigating the impact of fluctuating raw material prices will remain crucial factors requiring strategic management for sustained market growth. The continued innovation in delivery systems for pharmaceutical and cosmetic products are expected to generate incremental demand for high-quality vegetable glycerin in the long term.

The Glycerol Tristearate (GTS) market is experiencing robust growth, driven by increasing demand from various industries. The market's size, while not explicitly stated, can be reasonably estimated based on industry trends and the presence of numerous players like Hangzhou Fuchun Food Additive, Sigma-Aldrich, and others. Considering the involvement of significant chemical companies and the diverse applications of GTS, a conservative estimate for the 2025 market size would be in the range of $200 million to $300 million. This estimate assumes a steady growth trajectory based on a likely CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) within the range of 5% to 7% over the forecast period (2025-2033). The market’s expansion is primarily fueled by its widespread use as an emulsifier, lubricant, and release agent in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. The increasing preference for natural and sustainable alternatives in these sectors is further boosting GTS demand. Trends towards greater consumer awareness of ingredient safety and environmentally friendly manufacturing processes are also contributing to market growth. However, potential restraints include price fluctuations in raw materials (like stearic acid and glycerol) and competition from synthetic alternatives. Market segmentation likely exists based on application (food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, etc.) and geographic region, though specific data for segmentation is not provided. The presence of numerous established chemical companies and smaller specialized firms suggests a competitive landscape, with ongoing innovation and product development expected to shape the market's future trajectory. The forecast period of 2025-2033 anticipates continued growth, with potential expansion into new applications as research and development in related fields progress. The future of the GTS market hinges on several factors. Continued innovation in sustainable and high-quality GTS production methods will be crucial for maintaining competitive advantage. Moreover, successful penetration into emerging markets and strategic collaborations between manufacturers and end-users will be key to unlocking further growth potential. The regulatory landscape, particularly concerning food additives and cosmetic ingredients, will play a significant role in determining market access and growth. Furthermore, ongoing research and development focusing on enhancing the performance characteristics of GTS for specific applications will drive market evolution and differentiation among competitors. Overall, the GTS market presents a promising outlook with opportunities for both established players and new entrants to participate in the growing demand for this versatile material.

In 2024, the Europe crude glycerol market decreased by -3.3% to $498M, falling for the second consecutive year after three years of growth. The total consumption indicated a pronounced expansion from 2012 to 2024: its value increased at an average annual rate of +2.5% over the last twelve-year period. The trend pattern, however, indicated some noticeable fluctuations being recorded throughout the analyzed period. Based on 2024 figures, consumption decreased by -23.3% against 2022 indices.