What is Benzoic Acid Market Analysis: Price Trend, Trade Data and Preservative Demand
Analysts Sentiment
Bullish
Neutral
Bearish
What's driving sentiment this week:
Latest published month (2026-07) — Sentiment: Bullish
The most recent published customs observation for HS 291631 is 2026-07 at USD 2,157.54/ton, +2.6% against the previous month and +0.8% against 2025-08.
Reported volume across the fixed 10-economy panel was 94,571 tonnes over the window, 7,881 tonnes a month on average, and the three-month trend is +5.3%.
Next 1–3 Months — Outlook
This page is refreshed from public customs statistics rather than paid price assessments, so the next revision will roll in each newly published month for HS 291631. Direction shown here is a reading of published customs unit values, not a forecast.
Key Market Impact
Customs unit values for this heading are the single most checkable price signal available without a subscription: they combine the product mix actually crossing borders, the average contract level behind those shipments and freight-relevant volume. Treat them as the trade-weighted baseline for the heading, and read the coverage note above before applying them to a single grade.
How About the Price?
Data source: UN Comtrade public trade statistics (https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202607&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true) | Last updated: 2026-11-05
Demand-side factors
- Benzoic acid demand is led by sodium and other benzoate preservatives for food and feed, followed by alkyd and coating resins, plasticiser and benzoate ester intermediates, and pharmaceutical feedstocks.
- Related market pages on this site: Toluene (the feedstock oxidised to benzoic acid), Benzyl Alcohol (the intermediate in the same toluene oxidation chain), Benzyl Chloride (the other toluene derivative in this group), Phthalic Anhydride (the co-monomer that shares alkyd and polyester resin demand).
Price Trajectory, latest 12 months (2025-08 to 2026-07)
The monthly customs export unit value for HS 291631 moved from USD 2,141.02/ton in 2025-08 to USD 2,157.54/ton in 2026-07 (+0.8% across the window). The window high was USD 2,298.93/ton in 2025-10 and the low USD 1,823.83/ton in 2025-11. Three-month averages put the latest quarter +5.3% against the previous one, which is classified here as bullish.
The same panel reported USD 195.8 million of export value on 94,571 tonnes over the twelve months, an average of 7,881 tonnes a month. Values are customs returns for the stated HS heading, so they capture the traded mix of that heading rather than a single quoted grade.
The EU side of the same heading is one month fresher than the panel above: Eurostat Comext records EU27 imports of HS 291631 from outside the EU at USD 2,774.69/ton in 2026-08 (EUR 2,393.40/ton at the ECB monthly reference rate), +15.1% against 2026-07, on 1,071 tonnes; the twelve months to 2026-08 totalled 26,419 tonnes. On the 12 months the two datasets share (2025-08 to 2026-07), three-month blocks that far apart moved -1.2% on the export panel and +18.0% on the EU import side, so the two point in opposite directions, and the gap between them is the thing to resolve before either is used as a price reference. At this volume the monthly unit value still moves with the mix of consignments, so read it as a cross-check rather than as a second price series. Import values are recorded on a CIF-type basis by a single bloc, so the level is not comparable with the export panel — the comparison above is directional.
2026-08 is deliberately not in the series: of the 10 economies that make up this page's fixed panel, 8 had filed both value and net weight for this heading when the page was rebuilt on 2026-11-05, while the heading drew 18 filers in total that month; 2026-09 drew 0 filings for this heading, 0 of them from panel members, and 2026-10 drew 0 (0 from the panel). Splicing a partly-filed month onto a fixed panel would move the unit value through composition alone, so the window stays at 2026-07 until the whole panel for 2026-08 has reported.
HS 291631 names benzoic acid, its salts and its esters on their own within the aromatic monocarboxylic acids, so the series is product-specific; phenylacetic acid and its salts sit in 291634 and the other aromatic monoacids in 291639. Sodium benzoate, the benzoate plasticisers and the alkyd resins made from the acid are classified elsewhere, so only merchant acid, salt and ester cross this line.
Supply-side factors
- Fixed reporting panel of 10 economies: BRA (76), CAN (124), CZE (203), DNK (208), FIN (246), GTM (320), HUN (348), NLD (528), POL (616), SWE (752). The panel is held constant in every period of the window so period-to-period movement is not a composition effect.
- Unit value range over the window: USD 1,823.83 to USD 2,298.93/ton.
- Latest month, 2026-07: USD 2,157.54/ton, +2.6% against the previous month, on 9,495 tonnes.
Basis: these are customs unit values for the stated HS heading, not quoted spot, contract or assessed prices, and no paid price assessment is used or redistributed on this page. Every figure can be re-checked at the API links listed at the end of this page.
Need the supplier landscape, contract structure or a delivered-cost build-up behind this heading? Request a sample report or a custom cut.
Data Sources
Every endpoint used for the series on this page, the EU cross-check, the exchange rate used to express it in dollars and the HS classification reference:
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202508&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202509&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202510&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202511&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202512&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202601&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202602&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202603&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202604&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202605&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202606&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202607&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/files/v1/app/reference/HS.json
- Eurostat Comext DS-045409, EU27 extra-EU imports, monthly: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/api/comext/dissemination/statistics/1.0/data/DS-045409?format=JSON&freq=M&reporter=EU27_2020&partner=EXT_EU27_2020&flow=1&indicators=VALUE_IN_EUROS&indicators=QUANTITY_IN_100KG&product=291631&sinceTimePeriod=2025-07
- ECB euro reference rate, monthly average (EXR/M.USD.EUR.SP00.A): https://data-api.ecb.europa.eu/service/data/EXR/M.USD.EUR.SP00.A?format=csvdata&startPeriod=2025-07&endPeriod=2026-10
Substitutes & Alternatives
| Substitute / Alternative | Replacement Scenario / How It Substitutes |
|---|---|
| Sodium Benzoate | In food and beverage preservation, sodium benzoate (the sodium salt of benzoic acid) is the direct functional substitute and is more commonly used than benzoic acid itself because of its higher water solubility. Formulators switch between the two based on pH requirements and solubility needs; sodium benzoate is a drop-in replacement in aqueous systems at equivalent molar doses. |
| Potassium Sorbate | In food preservation (baked goods, dairy, beverages, jams), potassium sorbate is a widely used alternative antimicrobial preservative. It is preferred in applications where benzoic acid/sodium benzoate may form benzene traces (e.g., in the presence of ascorbic acid) or where a cleaner label is desired. Requires reformulation to adjust use levels (typically 0.1–0.3 wt%). |
| Sorbic Acid | Sorbic acid can replace benzoic acid as an antimicrobial in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical applications, particularly in slightly higher pH ranges (up to pH 6.5 vs. benzoic acid's effective range below pH 4.5). It is considered to have a broader spectrum of activity against molds and yeasts and is often preferred in cosmetics and personal care products. |
| Propionic Acid / Calcium Propionate | In bakery products and animal feed, propionic acid and its calcium salt serve as mold inhibitors and can substitute for benzoic acid-based preservatives. They are particularly effective against rope-forming bacteria and molds in bread. This is a partial substitution in specific food categories rather than a universal replacement. |
| Phenol (via alternative routes) | Phenol is a major downstream derivative of benzoic acid (via the Dow/Lummus benzoic acid-to-phenol process). However, phenol can also be produced directly from benzene via the cumene hydroperoxide (Hock) process, which is the dominant global route. When benzoic acid prices rise or supply is constrained, phenol producers using the benzoic acid route may switch to or supplement with cumene-based phenol production. |
| Phthalic Anhydride / Isophthalic Acid | In alkyd resin and polyester resin formulations, benzoic acid is sometimes used as a chain-stopper or modifier. Phthalic anhydride or isophthalic acid can be used as alternative aromatic acid components in resin formulations, though they serve different structural roles and require reformulation of the resin recipe. |
| Parabens (Methylparaben, Propylparaben) | In cosmetics, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals, parabens (esters of para-hydroxybenzoic acid) function as broad-spectrum antimicrobial preservatives and can replace benzoic acid in these applications. They are effective at lower concentrations and over a wider pH range. Substitution requires reformulation and regulatory review. |
Related PetroApex Market Pages
- Toluene — the feedstock oxidised to benzoic acid.
- Benzyl Alcohol — the neighbouring toluene oxidation product.
- Benzyl Chloride — the chlorination product of the same toluene feedstock.
- Phthalic Anhydride — the co-monomer that shares alkyd and polyester resin demand.
Regulatory Status
| Region | Regulation / Policy Name | Issuing Authority | Year (enacted or latest revision) | Key Requirement / Threshold | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU | Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives | European Commission | 2008 (latest revision 2011) | E 210 (benzoic acid) permitted as food additive; no numerical limit specified in regulation (national MPL apply) | European Commission (ec.europa.eu) |
| EU | Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of benzoic acid (E 210), sodium benzoate (E 211), potassium benzoate (E 212) and calcium benzoate (E 213) as food additives | EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) | 2016 (adopted 8 March) | ADI 5 mg/kg bw per day (expressed as benzoic acid) | EFSA Journal 14(3):4433 (2016) |
| US | 21 CFR 184.1021 (affirmed GRAS for benzoic acid as food additive) | FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) | 1975 (updated listings) | GRAS affirmed; used in food categories with good manufacturing practice limits | FDA GRAS Substances (ecfr.gov) |
| US | 21 CFR Part 184 (Subpart B—Listing of Specific Substances Affirmed as GRAS) | FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) | ongoing (current) | Benzoic acid affirmed as GRAS; no specific numerical threshold in regulation | ecfr.gov (current title) |
| US | REACH (REACH Annex XVII not applicable) | ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) | REACH Annex XVII (ongoing) | Not listed; no specific restriction or threshold for benzoic acid | ECHA substance information |
| US | TSCA Chemical Substance Inventory | EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) | 2024 (latest public inventory) | Listed as active chemical substance; no specific emission or threshold | EPA TSCA Inventory (epa.gov) |
| China | No specific VOC emission regulation for toluene oxidation plants producing benzoic acid | MEE (Ministry of Ecology and Environment) | ongoing (no targeted) | No concrete numerical threshold or specific regulation identified | MEE reports and industry sources |
| International | Codex General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) for benzoates | Codex Alimentarius Commission (FAO/WHO) | ongoing (updated to 48th session 2025) | Benzoic acid permitted in specific food categories (e.g., fermented fish up to 1000 mg/kg; dairy desserts up to 300 mg/kg); group ADI 5 mg/kg bw per day | GSFA Online (fao.org/gsfaonline) |
| International | UN Model Regulations / GHS classification | UN (United Nations) | ongoing (current) | Not subject to transport regulations; no IMDG classification; GHS not acutely toxic | CAMEO Chemicals / SDS |
Key Influence Events
Benzoic acid (C6H5COOH) is the simplest aromatic carboxylic acid, appearing as a white crystalline solid with a faint pleasant odor and a melting point of approximately 122°C. It occurs naturally in many plants and is produced industrially in large quantities. Its primary commercial uses include serving as a precursor to sodium benzoate (a widely used food preservative), as a feedstock for the manufacture of phenol, caprolactam, and plasticizers, and as a preservative and antimicrobial agent in food, beverages, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. It is also used as a standard reference material in calorimetry and as a chemical intermediate in dye and resin production.
Top Countries Production Capacity
Production Process of Benzoic Acid Market Analysis: Price Trend, Trade Data and Preservative Demand
Benzoic acid (C6H5COOH) is the simplest aromatic carboxylic acid, appearing as a white crystalline solid with a faint pleasant odor and a melting point of approximately 122°C. It occurs naturally in many plants and is produced industrially in large quantities. Its primary commercial uses include serving as a precursor to sodium benzoate (a widely used food preservative), as a feedstock for the manufacture of phenol, caprolactam, and plasticizers, and as a preservative and antimicrobial agent in food, beverages, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. It is also used as a standard reference material in calorimetry and as a chemical intermediate in dye and resin production.
Specs & Grades
| Property | Typical Value / Range | Unit | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance | White crystalline powder or flakes | — | All grades |
Data Sources
Price and volume figures are derived from the directly verified public sources below. The customs unit values are USD/ton; they are not subscription price assessments. Numeric assay rows were removed because no public product-grade source is cited for them - confirm grade-level specifications with the supplier. Every monthly endpoint used for the series on this page is listed below, together with the HS classification reference.
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202508&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202509&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202510&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202511&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202512&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202601&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202602&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202603&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202604&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202605&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202606&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?reporterCode=156,842,699,410,276,528,356,360,764,458,724,40,56,251,380,616,826,124,76,484,792,682,784,704,490,702,643,36,710,818,364,203,348,300,620,372,208,246,752,578,320,508&period=202607&cmdCode=291631&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/files/v1/app/reference/HS.json
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