Upstreampressure,downstreamdisruption

From consumers to retailers to brands, and finally to chemical manufacturers,

steady pressure, propelled by increasing environmental attention, is being applied

to the industry.

While the chemical industry has been somewhat shielded in the past from direct consumer pressure, changing consumer preferences are making an impact—at the same time as

downstream industries  are facing disruption.

Product value chain

Across product sectors, we see this affecting typical value chains like the one illustrated in Figure 1.

Just as raw material inputs affect the sustainability and reuse potential of a product, the chemicals used in production affect the circularity potential of finished goods. Wood furniture, for example, often ends up in a landfill because it contains resins and lacquers that limit reuse potential.

Similarly, retailers are often stuck with packaging that can’t be recycled due to laminates or coatings used to protect food and beverages. These are typical of the highly complex

challenges driving demand for more innovative, readily recyclable materials and solutions. So let’s start by taking a closer look at what’s changing in the relationship between

consumers, brands and the chemical industry.