A year of volatility and transition / Spot prices stay high amid weather extremes and grid bottlenecks / Germany anchors regional dynamics as renewables expand unevenly

A year of consolidation and a ‘new normal' comes to an end / Market stable after end of dramatic fluctuations from energy crisis / Political framework to continue to force players into further optimising diversification, storage, emissions strategies

Freight rates on a roller coaster / Will the Suez Canal soon reopen to major traffic?

Europe's reclaim sector faces its toughest year yet / Cheap virgin plastics squeeze recyclates / Strain continues

German business climate weakens / Processors' mood worsens / European manufacturers send mixed messages

VDMA sees bottoming out after declines in order intake, revenues / 5% drop in turnover expected for 2025

Trump tariffs shook EU plastics industry in 2025 / 15% duty ignited retaliatory firestorms / Diversification and capacity shifts ahead in 2026

OECD predicts slowdown in '26 / Spain to lead, Italy to lag among EU Big Four / UK expansion to ease

Industry on the brink – BPF / Shutdowns continue / Shops face multiple problems

Gap between US citizens' recycling intentions, actions / 77% report they recycle / WM survey highlights barriers

Peace and calm on most trade routes / Freight rates from China to Europe rise

Heavy shipping traffic on world's oceans causes freight rates to tumble / Intra-Asia routes the exception

Emergency round table for recycling yields few results / Second meeting set for mid-December

Opposing trends in container freight rates: US routes down, Europe more expensive / Port strikes in Belgium, Portugal

“From tomorrow, no more collections” / Municipalities react to recycling freeze in southern Italy