According to the European Plastics Information (PIE), more than three-quarters of plastics companies reported a drop in sales this spring compared to April 2019, with about half of them experiencing a drop of at least 20%.

In May 2020, PIE conducted a quick survey of corporate performance to gain insight into business trends in the European plastics industry during the coronavirus outbreak. The current results are based on data from 155 participants in 29 countries.

Among plastics companies that reported lower sales, the smallest appeared to be hit harder compared to April 2019, with nearly 60 percent reporting a drop of at least 20 percent, compared to about 45 percent for medium and large companies. By region, respondents in the Nordic countries stood out, as almost half reported higher sales than in April last year. Of those who processed plastics, 72 percent reported a drop in sales. Processors working in the packaging sector fared better, with about 40 per cent reporting an increase in sales.

Looking ahead, order activity this summer reflects the general state of the European economy, which does not appear to be positive across sectors and regions. Only 16% of respondents expect to see an increase in customer orders in the second quarter of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. About 40 per cent expect orders to fall by at least 20 per cent year on year in the next quarter. Packaging-related plastics processors appear to be the most optimistic, with nearly 40 per cent expecting an increase in orders in the second quarter of 2020. While plastic producers appear to be the most pessimistic about the order outlook.

Before the coronavirus outbreak, the top three concerns were selling price, volume and material cost. However, during the pandemic, only sales volume remained and rose to the top of the list (75%). The second and third major concerns were suppliers' ability to deliver (55%) and logistics (49%), highlighting the impact of shutdowns, border controls and other issues on plastics companies.

Single-use plastic items, such as medical masks and some food packaging, are now seen as essential and are being valued for their role in preventing the spread of coronavirus.

What the public is now seeing is the properties of plastic that have always been there. — Protect materials, keep materials hygienic and suitable for medical supplies. But in the past few years, these properties have been overshadowed by plastic pollution.

More than half of survey participants reported that the coronavirus outbreak was having a positive impact on the public image of plastics, while nearly 40 percent said it was having no impact. Only 6 percent believe plastic's image has worsened as a result of the pandemic.