Bioplastics, from promise to reality: Policy recommendations to accelerate industry adoption

Background In the context of the European Green Deal and the European Union’s transition towards a circular and sustainable economy, bioplastics are emerging as a promising alternative to fossil-based plastics. However, despite increasing interest from industry and society, their large-scale adoption remains limited. This policy report synthesizes challenges, risks, and opportunities for the sustainable scaling of bioplastics. Methods It draws on evidence from an online multi-country survey with 18 stakeholders across the bioplastics value chain, including manufacturers, processors, retailers, and R&D centres, predominantly based in Europe. Key Results The findings reveal an acceptance-adoption paradox: while stakeholders express high acceptance of plant- and waste-based bioplastics, this positive perception does not translate into widespread market uptake. Key barriers include limited availability and unstable supply chains, high production and commercialization costs, technical and environmental performance concerns, regulatory challenges, and lack of consumer demand. Market volatility and regulatory uncertainty were identified as the most significant business risks, constraining long-term investment and strategic planning. Waste- and insect-based bioplastics, although recognised for their high sustainability potential and alignment with circular bioeconomy principles, are perceived as particularly challenging to work with and face additional trust and acceptance hurdles. Conclusions Based on these insights, the report advances with evidence-based policy recommendations to accelerate bioplastics adoption. These include strengthening regulatory harmonisation and legal clarity, incentivising innovation focused on cost reduction, performance improvement and safety assurance, reinforcing supply chains through targeted economic incentives, and promoting transparency through certified life cycle assessments and robust communication strategies. The report also highlights the importance of public engagement, participatory approaches, and multidisciplinary collaboration to counter misinformation and greenwashing. Overall, the findings suggest that with coherent policies, targeted investments, and trust-building measures, bioplastics – especially those derived from waste valorisation – can play a strategic role in Europe’s sustainable plastics transition.