Hertex observes a widening price gap between recycled PET (rPET) and virgin PET (vPET)
With a global presence in the plastics trade since 1979, Hertex specialises in PET and recycled materials. CEO Jerry A. Herculeijns, who has led the company since 2005, has extensive insight into market dynamics and pricing trends in both virgin and recycled materials. When visiting him in the course of our current PETplanet Editour Circular Economy, he shared current developments:
Due to low oil prices, virgin PET is currently available for around €1,000 per tonne, while rPET remains significantly more expensive — reaching up to €1,800 per tonne. “In Europe, many bottlers are reverting to the legally mandated minimum of 25% rPET content,” explains Herculeijns. “Even with a virgin plastics tax — such as the €450 per tonne levy in Spain — vPET is still more cost-effective than rPET as of June 2025.”
Seasonality is another influencing factor. By June, bottlers have typically secured their annual supply contracts. Subsequent orders for the autumn and winter months tend to be smaller, given the seasonal decline in beverage consumption. The company experts don’t expect the market to stabilise before autumn at the earliest.
Photo top (f.l.t.r.): Marcel Illien, COO, and Jerry A. Herculeijns, CEO of Hertex and Eco Polymers GmbH
The full article on our visit at Hertex can be found in our forthcoming issue PETplanet 7+8!