PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) and PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) both serve large application spaces in India — PET dominates in food and beverage packaging, while PVC anchors building and construction in pipes, profiles, and flooring. For converters who work across both segments, understanding the distinct supply and pricing dynamics of each resin is increasingly important as global trade patterns shift.
On the supply side, PET in India is increasingly domestically produced, with integrated PTA-PET manufacturers supplying a significant share of bottle-grade demand. Import dependency remains for speciality grades — film-grade, engineering-grade, and low-acetaldehyde food-contact grades — where Chinese and Taiwanese suppliers dominate. PVC, by contrast, has a higher import dependency for homopolymer resin, with Chinese producers holding significant pricing power, particularly during periods of Acetylene-route PVC capacity fluctuation.
Pricing in 2026: PET pricing is expected to track PTA and MEG feedstock costs, which are linked to crude oil and Chinese paraxylene production. PVC pricing is more volatile — it is influenced by Chinese electricity costs, caustic soda margins, and global construction activity. For procurement teams building annual cost models, PVC carries higher variance risk than PET.
Compliance is the third dimension. For food-contact applications, both resins require specific certifications — FSSAI for the Indian market, FDA 21 CFR or EU 10/2011 for export. PVC compounds using DOP or DINP plasticisers face additional scrutiny in EU markets under SVHC provisions. Converters exporting to Europe should confirm that their PVC formulation complies with Annex XVII of REACH before committing to a customer specification.
For new capacity decisions: assess total cost of ownership (raw material plus energy plus rejects) and regulatory risk across your target markets before committing to either substrate. For existing lines, build a dual-supplier matrix — one domestic, one import — for each grade.