Glycerin in Europe: Where It Goes, Why It Matters, and How to Source It

Europe’s glycerin landscape at a glance

Europe now absorbs roughly one-third of global glycerin (glycerine) output, a figure driven by the continent’s strong personal-care, pharmaceutical, food, and coatings sectors. Ever-stricter biodiesel mandates have turned the region’s biodiesel plants into a continuous source of crude glycerin: every tonne of biodiesel produced yields about one-tenth as much glycerin. As a result, technical-grade material is abundant, and several refineries have recently upgraded to pharmaceutical-quality glycerine (≥ 99.5 %) streams to capture value in higher-end markets.

Rapeseed oil and the price connection

Because rapeseed oil supplies about half of Europe’s biodiesel feedstock, fluctuations in rapeseed seed and oil prices ripple quickly into glycerin pricing. Keeping an eye on rapeseed futures therefore offers a useful proxy for anticipating shifts in European glycerin costs.

How European industries use glycerin

Personal-care formulators rely on USP-grade glycerin for its unrivalled ability to bind water; a 1–5 % addition to a skin-care emulsion can double moisture retention without altering sensory feel. Pharmaceutical producers turn to the same high-purity material as a sweet, non-cariogenic solvent for syrups and as a capsule plasticizer that maintains elasticity throughout long shelf lives. In food and beverage plants, glycerin acts both as a humectant and a mild sweetener, keeping cakes soft and ice cream scoopable even at sub-zero storage.

Paints and coatings represent an often-overlooked but steadily growing outlet. Here, technical-grade glycerin reacts with phthalic anhydride and fatty acids to form long-oil and medium-oil alkyd resins. European formulators favour glycerin-based alkyds because they deliver high gloss, excellent adhesion, and the flexibility needed to survive the freeze–thaw cycles common from Scandinavia to the Balkans—all while meeting low-VOC targets set by the EU Green Deal. Aviation authorities, meanwhile, appreciate the molecule’s biodegradability: glycerin-based de-icing fluids are replacing ethylene-glycol blends on runways from Frankfurt to Oslo. Finally, chemical intermediates such as epichlorohydrin and bio-based propylene glycol start from crude (≈ 80 %) glycerin, giving refiners a low-cost feedstock for value-added chemistries.

Sustainability credentials

Because most European glycerin is a by-product of renewable biodiesel, it carries a biogenic carbon footprint that helps downstream users hit corporate sustainability metrics. Labels that highlight “glycerin from renewable rapeseed” resonate with consumers and regulators alike, strengthening the case for bio-based paints, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.

Market trends to watch through 2030

Demand from natural skin-care brands is growing at high single-digit rates, and water-reducible alkyd coatings are staging a comeback as conventional solvent systems face tighter VOC ceilings. At the same time, several biodiesel players are commissioning purification units that lift crude streams to 99 % purity, ensuring ample supply even as overall biodiesel growth plateaus.

How Chemicals United can help

Chemicals United offers a full portfolio—from crude 80 % glycerin to refined technical 99–99.5 % and USP/Ph. Eur. 99.5 % grades—shipped in bulk isotanks, IBCs, or drums. By trading rapeseed oil alongside glycerin, we monitor feedstock spreads daily and lock in cost advantages before market tightness sets in. That insight, combined with our EU-wide logistics network and REACH compliance, lets us deliver reliable, competitively priced glycerin to coatings producers, personal-care formulators, pharmaceutical blenders, and chemical intermediates plants across Europe and beyond.

Ready for a quote or technical data sheet? Email info@chemicalsunited.com and secure your supply of USP-grade or technical-grade glycerin—backed by the most responsive rapeseed-based supply chain on the continent.