Share of plastic consumption India 2018, by sector

In 2018, the largest consumer of plastic was the packaging industry (rigid and flexible), which together formed around 59 percent of the consumption volume of India. Building and construction also had a large share at 13 percent. The total plastic consumption volume was over 15 million metric tons in that year.

Plastic use in India

The use and application of plastic has grown considerably in the country. Since 1990, the demand for plastic multiplied over 20 times and was over 18,000 kilotons per annum in 2018. However, the per capita plastic consumption in India was under 15 kilograms, which was quite less in comparison to the global per capita consumption of plastic, specifically in comparison to the developed countries. Plastics are playing a major role in the economic development and progress of other sectors such as automotive, construction, healthcare, etc.

Plastics types

India is one of the leading nations in the plastic industry with a diversified product mix, which helps it to meets its internal as well as its export demand. The country produced many different types of polyolefins such as low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene to name a few. It also produced polyvinyl chloride, styrenics, polyethylene terephthalate, and several other plastics. In the financial year of 2019, polyethylene was the most consumed plastic type in the country. It was used the most by the films and sheets sector across the country.