Anti-fog Additives Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Glycerol Esters, Polyglycerol Esters), By Application (Food Packaging Films, Agricultural Films), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030

Report Overview

The global anti-fog additives market size was valued at USD 1.8 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1% from 2022 to 2030. The growth is attributed to the rising demand for agricultural and food films. Anti-fog additives are applied to polymer concentrates as coatings. They help decrease the surface energy of any water droplets which may form on the polymer surface. This, in turn, will result in the formation of a layer of droplets on the transparent film, thus improving the appearance and visibility.

The increasing utilization of anti-fog additives in different end-use applications such as optical glasses, mirrors, food packaging, automotive, and agriculture on the account of its ability to enhance visibility and reduce fogging is likely to positively impact the market growth. The rising packaging and food processing industries across emerging nations such as China, India, and Vietnam owing to their low production cost are expected to further fuel the product demand. Moreover, hectic lifestyles and rapid urbanization have led to a shift in the eating habits of consumers and increased demand for packaged food. Thus, triggering the demand for anti-fog additives across the globe.

The anti-fog additives market witnessed a positive impact after the outburst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was attributable to the significant growth of the packaging industry across the globe. Consumers became more concerned about their health and preferred packaged food products such as fruits and vegetables. The market witnessed a shift in consumer eating and buying habits due to the fear of the virus. This, in turn, led to positive growth of the industry across regions.

The increasing demand for high-quality crops along with the growing population has resulted in the evolution of controlled agricultural activities, which is likely to boost the need for films, thus positively impacting the demand for anti-fog additives. The automotive sector has witnessed significant growth in terms of infrastructure development, and passenger safety guidelines which are expected to propel product demand. Furthermore, the rising demand for anti-fog additives in windows and windscreens of vehicles is projected to boost the demand in the coming years.

Plastic films, especially those produced from LDPE, have a low surface area-to-weight ratio, which makes the films susceptible to external contamination quite easily. Contamination is a major problem for all recyclables, especially those used in horticulture. Because of ultra-contamination from soil and vegetative residues, some waste agricultural films present unique obstructions to recycling. Major contaminants include pesticides, chemical additives, dirt exposure, and UV light degradation. Therefore, the limited scope of agricultural films is expected to remain a key restraining factor for the industry.

Product Insights

Glycerol esters dominated with the highest revenue share of 32% in 2021. Its high share is attributable to its increasing use in the food packaging industry on the account of its non-toxic attributes and low cost of production. Furthermore, the low price of glycerol as compared to other alternatives is projected to keep high penetration of the product segment over the projected period.

Polyglycerol esters are non-ionic surfactants that are used in a wide range of applications in the cosmetic, food, pharmaceutical, and agriculture industries on account of exhibiting excellent anti-static additives in the formulation of PVA films. Their amphiphilic character enables their use in the stabilization of numerous suspensions in LLDPE, LDPE, and EVA films for food packaging applications. Rising demand for convenience foods on a global level owing to new product launches including frozen meat goods, bakery products, and confectioneries is expected to promote the usage of polyglycerol esters and anti-fog additives.

Sorbitan esters are non-ionic surfactants, available in the form of water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsions which are used in the preparation of emulsions, creams, anti-fogging agents, and ointments for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. The ease of incorporation of sorbitan esters into the formulation of ethoxylated counterparts is expected to promote its usage for the production of anti-fog additives.

The rising importance of organic farming in key markets including the U.S., Germany, the U.K., China, and India as a result of government support to promote agricultural growth on a domestic level is projected to promote the usage of sorbitan esters and anti-fog additives. Furthermore, the easy availability of fatty acid esters as a raw material for the production of anti-fog additives on account of the high penetration of sugarcane processing units is expected to open new avenues in the coming years.

Application Insights

Food packaging films dominated the market with the highest revenue share of 71.6% in 2021. Its high share is attributable to its ability to improve the durability and transparency of packed foodstuffs. It also helps in maintaining the aesthetics and visibility of the product, thus, promoting its demand across the globe during the forecast period. In addition, the recent advancements in the packing and processing technologies in the food & beverage industry are anticipated to boost the growth.

Agricultural films exhibit thermal resistance, high durability, and tensile strength, leading to the increased shelf life of agricultural products. They are used over the soil to improve the overall quality and productivity of crops. With the growing need to fulfill the demand of the rising population, there is a rise in the commercialization rate of agricultural films across regions.

There are several innovations in the anti-fog additives industry such as NIR blocking, Ultra Violet (UV) blocking, ultra-thermic, and florescent films are expected to impact product demand positively over the forecast period. The abovementioned favorable trends in the agricultural film industry are projected to fuel the demand for anti-fog additives over the forecast period.

The food packaging industry is expected to increase over the forecast period owing to the increase in the consumption of convenience foods. Easy disposability, portability, and easy opening are the key factors leading to positive growth in the food packaging industry. Visual appeal and convenience are additional aspects that are anticipated to fuel the growth of the food packaging market over the forecast period.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific dominated with the highest revenue share of 36% in 2021. This is attributed to the flourishing automobile and food packaging industries in emerging economies including India, China, and Vietnam. The rising food & beverage industry in South East Asian countries including Indonesia as a result of improvement in economic indicators is projected to play a crucial role in increasing the usage of packaging applications. This increase in the growth of packaging applications in the food & beverage industry is expected to fuel the demand for anti-fogging agents.

The robust presence of milk production units in China as a result of the presence of dairy farming infrastructure is expected to promote the usage of anti-fog additives in the formulation of packaged products for maintaining freezing properties. In addition, low manufacturing costs and high demand centers are expected to remain major favorable factors for promoting investments in the food & beverage industry of China and thus likely to drive the demand for anti-fog additives over the forecast period.

Rising awareness of anti-fogging characteristics in the North American food packaging industry is projected to fuel the demand for anti-fog additives. Furthermore, the growing penetration of greenhouse packaging materials in the organic farming sector of developed nations including the U.S. and Canada is anticipated to upscale the requirements for these additives.

The gaining importance of the organic personal care industry in Germany owing to product innovation by companies including L’Oréal is expected to promote the usage of fatty acids for the production of cosmetic creams. The abovementioned trend is projected to reduce the access to fatty acids as a raw material for the production of anti-fogging products including glycerol esters, and ethoxylated sorbitan esters over the projected period.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The market is characterized by innovation by major companies to enhance the performance of their products. The prime intention of the strategic tie-ups of manufacturers is to distribute the products to buyers located at far distances along with customized requirements in terms of packaging. Manufacturers are focusing on the development of additives that are durable and perform efficiently under a varied range of temperatures. Some prominent players in the global anti-fog additives market include:

• Clariant AG

• AkzoNobel N.V.

• Ashland Inc.

• Croda International PLC

• Evonik Industries

• PolyOne Corporation

• A. Schulman, Inc.

• DuPont

• Addcomp Holland

• Emery Oleochemicals

• Palsgaard

• Polyvel Inc.

• Ampacet Corporation

• Sabo S.p.A

• Lifeline Technologies

• Fine Organics

Anti-fog Additives Market Report Scope  

Global Anti-fog Additives Market Segmentation

This report forecasts volume and revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2018 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global anti-fog additives market report based on product, application, and region:

• Product Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Glycerol Esters

  • Ethoxylated Sorbitan Esters

  • Polyglycerol Esters

  • Sorbitan Esters

  • Polyoxyethylene Esters

  • Others

• Application Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Agricultural Films

  • Food Packaging Films

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • U.K.

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

    • Russia

    • Benelux

    • Turkey

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

    • Japan

  • Central & South America

    • Brazil

    • Argentina

  • Middle East & Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • South Africa