What is Propylene Glycol Market Analysis: Price Trend, Trade Data and Industrial Demand
Analysts Sentiment
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What's driving sentiment this week:
Latest published month (2026-07) — Sentiment: Neutral
The most recent published customs observation for HS 290532 is 2026-07 at USD 1,765.56/ton, -3.3% against the previous month and +28.6% against 2025-08.
Reported volume across the fixed 12-economy panel was 119,946 tonnes over the window, 9,996 tonnes a month on average, and the three-month trend is +19.9%. The heading-level series is volatile: the largest month-on-month move in the window was +30.4% between 2026-03 and 2026-04, when reported value moved +26.3% and reported tonnage moved -3.1%, so that move reflects the mix and size of shipments filed under this heading rather than a single quoted price.
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 290532. 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=290532&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true) | Last updated: 2026-11-03
Demand-side factors
- Propylene glycol demand splits between unsaturated polyester resins, industrial and food-grade antifreeze and de-icing fluids, heat-transfer and hydraulic fluids, humectants for food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical and tobacco applications, and liquid detergent solvents, so its call follows construction composites and the seasonality of de-icing demand.
- Related market pages on this site: Propylene Oxide (the feedstock hydrated to make the glycol), Propylene (the upstream olefin), Maleic Anhydride (the co-monomer in the UPR that takes PG), Polyether Polyol (the main downstream consumer of propylene glycol).
Price Trajectory, latest 12 months (2025-08 to 2026-07)
The monthly customs export unit value for HS 290532 moved from USD 1,373.26/ton in 2025-08 to USD 1,765.56/ton in 2026-07 (+28.6% across the window). The window high was USD 1,826.36/ton in 2026-06 and the low USD 1,118.48/ton in 2025-11. Three-month averages put the latest quarter +19.9% against the previous one, which is classified here as neutral. The heading-level series is volatile: the largest month-on-month move in the window was +30.4% between 2026-03 and 2026-04, when reported value moved +26.3% and reported tonnage moved -3.1%, so that move reflects the mix and size of shipments filed under this heading rather than a single quoted price. One filing distorts 2026-05: Brazil declared 1,790 tonnes under this heading at USD 1,163.65/ton, against a monthly norm of about 61 tonnes for that reporter across the rest of the window and a panel median of USD 2,876.73/ton in the same month, so the flow carries 14% of the panel's tonnage that month. The 2026-05 aggregate of USD 1,796.97/ton is therefore a reporting artefact inside the heading rather than a price observation, and the direction label is not taken from a three-month average that contains it.
The same panel reported USD 173.9 million of export value on 119,946 tonnes over the twelve months, an average of 9,996 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 290532 from outside the EU at USD 1,708.35/ton in 2026-08 (EUR 1,473.60/ton at the ECB monthly reference rate), +9.6% against 2026-07, on 8,617 tonnes; the twelve months to 2026-08 totalled 104,120 tonnes. On the 12 months the two datasets share (2025-08 to 2026-07), three-month blocks that far apart moved +38.6% on the export panel and +17.5% on the EU import side, so the two agree on direction. 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 12 economies that make up this page's fixed panel, 9 had filed both value and net weight for this heading when the page was rebuilt on 2026-11-03, 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 290532 names propylene glycol (propane-1,2-diol) on its own, so the series is product-specific; ethylene glycol is separated in 290531 and the other acyclic diols, including 1,4-butanediol and neopentyl glycol, in 290539. The dipropylene glycol co-product is an ether-alcohol and is classified in 2909 rather than here, and the unsaturated polyester resins, antifreeze blends and de-icing fluids made from the glycol are classified elsewhere.
Supply-side factors
- Fixed reporting panel of 12 economies: BRA (76), CAN (124), CZE (203), DNK (208), FIN (246), GTM (320), HUN (348), IDN (360), NLD (528), POL (616), PRT (620), SWE (752). The panel is held constant in every month of the window so month-to-month movement is not a composition effect.
- Monthly unit value range over the window: USD 1,118.48 to USD 1,826.36/ton.
- Latest month, 2026-07: USD 1,765.56/ton, -3.3% against the previous month, on 9,545 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.
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Data Sources
Every monthly 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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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 | Replacement Scenario / How It Substitutes |
|---|---|
| Ethylene Glycol (EG) | Used as a direct substitute in industrial antifreeze and heat-transfer fluid applications where low toxicity is not required. EG offers a slightly lower freezing point at equivalent concentrations and is cheaper, but is acutely toxic to mammals, so it cannot replace PG in food, pharmaceutical, or pet-safe antifreeze formulations. Substitution is straightforward in closed-loop HVAC and engine cooling systems. |
| Glycerol (Glycerin) | Replaces PG as a humectant, solvent, and moisture-retention agent in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical formulations. Glycerol is also GRAS and non-toxic. It is more viscous and slightly less effective as a solvent for some actives, so reformulation is typically required to adjust concentrations. Widely used as a partial or full substitute in personal care products (lotions, toothpaste) and as a food humectant. |
| Dipropylene Glycol (DPG) | A co-product of PG production, DPG substitutes for PG in fragrance carriers, plasticizers, and some industrial solvent applications where its higher boiling point and lower volatility are advantageous. It is not suitable for food or pharmaceutical use at the same regulatory status as PG. Drop-in substitution is feasible in many industrial solvent blends. |
| Sorbitol | Substitutes for PG as a humectant in food and personal care products (toothpaste, baked goods, confectionery). Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol with higher molecular weight and greater sweetness; it is used in higher concentrations to achieve equivalent moisture retention. Reformulation is required. It cannot replace PG in solvent or antifreeze applications. |
| Vegetable-based / Bio-PG | Bio-based propylene glycol (produced via glycerol hydrogenolysis or bio-based propylene oxide) is chemically identical to petroleum-derived PG and is a drop-in replacement in all applications. It commands a price premium and is used by manufacturers seeking bio-content claims or sustainability certifications (e.g., USDA BioPreferred). No reformulation is needed. |
Related PetroApex Market Pages
- Propylene Oxide — the epoxide hydrated to propylene glycol.
- Propylene — the upstream olefin behind propylene oxide.
- Maleic Anhydride — the anhydride consumed with propylene glycol in unsaturated polyester resins.
- Polyether Polyol
Regulatory Status
| Region | Regulation / Policy Name | Issuing Authority | Year (enacted or latest revision) | Key Requirement / Threshold | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 21 CFR 184.1666 (USP-grade food additive) | U.S. FDA | 1977 (amended) | Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) for direct addition to food as multipurpose food additive; acceptable dietary intake 25 mg/kg body weight | https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPURL.cgi?Dockey=P100WLVI.TXT |
| United States | Consolidated List of Lists | U.S. EPA | 2025 | Included in regulatory lists (no additional restrictions) | https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2025-04/consolidated-list-of-lists-updated-april-2025.pdf |
| United States | Not classified as hazardous | U.S. DOT / IATA / IMDG | N/A | Not regulated for transport (UN number: none) | https://cameochemicals.noaa.gov/chemical/9030 |
| European Union | Registration under REACH (CAS 57-55-6) | ECHA | 2010 | 01-2119456809-23; no hazardous classification under CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 | No stable public URL (source page not reachable when last checked) |
| European Union | Approved feed material | EU Commission | 2010 (EU Reg 892/2010) | Approved as feed material (Catalogue of Approved Feed Materials, no. 13.11.1) | No stable public URL (source page not reachable when last checked) |
| China | Prohibition on new chlorohydrin plants | Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) | 2015 | No new construction of chlorohydrin-based propylene oxide plants (older plants phasing out due to environmental wastewater/ byproducts) | https://www.nexanteca.com/blog/technological_independence-chinas-propylene-oxide-industry |
| India | Anti-dumping investigation | Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) | 2003 (ongoing review) | Investigation into imports of Propylene Glycol from USA, Singapore, Korea and European Union | https://www.dgtr.gov.in/en/anti-dumping-cases/propylene-glycol-usa-singapore-korearp-and-european-union |
Key Influence Events
It is miscible with water, ethanol, and many organic solvents, and has a low toxicity profile that distinguishes it from ethylene glycol. Commercially, it is produced predominantly by the hydration of propylene oxide, which is itself derived from propylene. Propylene glycol serves as a humectant, solvent, antifreeze, and heat-transfer fluid across a wide range of industries including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, animal feed, unsaturated polyester resins, and industrial antifreeze/de-icing formulations. It is classified as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the US FDA for food applications.
Top Countries Production Capacity
Production Process of Propylene Glycol Market Analysis: Price Trend, Trade Data and Industrial Demand
It is miscible with water, ethanol, and many organic solvents, and has a low toxicity profile that distinguishes it from ethylene glycol. Commercially, it is produced predominantly by the hydration of propylene oxide, which is itself derived from propylene. Propylene glycol serves as a humectant, solvent, antifreeze, and heat-transfer fluid across a wide range of industries including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, animal feed, unsaturated polyester resins, and industrial antifreeze/de-icing formulations. It is classified as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the US FDA for food applications.
Specs & Grades
| Property | Typical Value / Range | Unit | Grade |
|---|
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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&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=290532&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true
- https://comtradeapi.un.org/files/v1/app/reference/HS.json
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