Thickener Market Size, Share, Growth, and Industry Analysis, By Type (Inorganic Thickener, Cellulose Ether, Synthetic Polymer, Natural Polymer and Its Derivatives and Others), By Application (Hospitals, Dental Clinics and Others), Regional Insights and Forecast From 2025 To 2035

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THICKENER MARKET OVERVIEW

The global thickener market is poised for significant growth, starting at USD 7.37 billion in 2025, climbing to USD 7.61 billion in 2026, and projected to reach USD 10.12 billion by 2035, with a CAGR of 3.2%.

The thickener market is a large and growing market with a diverse range of applications. The market is driven by the increasing demand for convenience foods, the growing popularity of plant-based diets, and the rising incidence of dysphagia. The market is also expected to benefit from the development of new thickeners with improved properties.

KEY FINDINGS

COVID-19 IMPACT

Imposed Restrictions in the Economy which led to a decline in demand for the Market

The COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented and staggering, with experiencing lower-than-anticipated demand across all regions compared to pre-pandemic levels.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the thickener market growth. The pandemic has caused disruptions to the supply chain, leading to shortages of thickeners and higher prices. The pandemic has also led to changes in consumer behavior, with people cooking more at home and eating out less. This has led to an increased demand for thickeners for use in home cooking. The market is expected to be driven by the increasing demand for convenience foods, the growing popularity of plant-based diets, and the rising incidence of dysphagia.

LATEST TRENDS

Higher Standards of Performance by Increase in Infrastructure Spending to Grow Market Potentially

The thickener market is constantly evolving, and some of the latest trends include the increasing demand for natural thickeners, the development of new thickeners with improved properties, the growing use of thickeners in functional foods, personal care products, and industrial applications.

The increasing demand for natural thickeners is due to the growing awareness of the health benefits of natural ingredients. Researchers are developing new thickeners with improved properties, such as higher viscosity and better heat stability. These new thickeners are expected to find applications in a wider range of food products. Thickeners are also being used in personal care products, such as toothpaste, shampoo, and cosmetics. This is because thickeners can help to improve the consistency and texture of these products. Thickeners are also used in industrial applications, such as in the production of paints, adhesives, and lubricants. This is because thickeners can help to improve the flow and performance of these products.

• According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the use of food-grade thickeners such as xanthan gum and guar gum has grown by over 18% between 2020 and 2023, driven by increased applications in dairy and plant-based beverages. The FDA noted that more than 1,200 approved thickening formulations are now utilized in processed foods and beverages to improve texture stability and shelf life.

• According to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), the adoption of biodegradable and bio-based thickeners rose by 25% in the EU in 2023 due to environmental regulations limiting synthetic polymer usage. Government-backed research projects under the EU’s “Green Deal” initiative allocated €80 million toward developing renewable cellulose-based thickening agents to promote sustainable industrial manufacturing.

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THICKENER MARKET SEGMENTATION

By Type

Based on type the thickener market share is classified as Inorganic Thickener, Cellulose Ether, Synthetic Polymer, Natural Polymer and Its Derivatives and Others.

By Application

Based on application the thickener market share is classified as Food and Beverages, Paints and Coatings, Papermaking, Textile, Medicine, Detergent and Other.

DRIVING FACTORS

Increasing demand for convenience foods which leads to the market growth

Convenience foods are becoming increasingly popular, as people are looking for foods that are quick and easy to prepare. Thickeners are used in convenience foods to improve their texture and stability, making them more appealing to consumers.

Growing popularity of plant-based diets for market growth

Plant-based diets are becoming increasingly popular, as people are looking for ways to reduce their intake of animal products. Thickeners are used in plant-based foods to improve their texture and mouthfeel, making them more appealing to consumer.

• According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), global starch production—one of the main sources of industrial thickeners—reached 94 million metric tons in 2023, marking a 6% rise from the previous year. This expansion has been supported by growing demand from food processing and paper coating sectors seeking enhanced viscosity control in end products.

• According to Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the cosmetics and personal care industry increased consumption of rheology-modifying thickeners by 20% from 2021 to 2023, spurred by new product launches and consumer demand for premium formulations. Over 3,000 cosmetic products registered during this period incorporated polymeric or mineral-based thickeners to ensure consistency and stability.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

Several Challenges Associated with the Local Irritation to Restrain the Market Growth

The thickener market is restrained by a number of factors, including high cost, varying regulatory requirements, environmental concerns, substitutes, and technological challenges. The high cost of thickeners, especially natural thickeners, can limit their use in some applications. For example, natural thickeners are often used in personal care products, but their high cost can make them less competitive with synthetic thickeners. The regulatory requirements for thickeners can vary from country to country. This can make it difficult for thickener manufacturers to market their products in multiple countries. For example, some countries have stricter regulations on the use of natural thickeners, which can make it difficult for manufacturers to sell their products in those countries. Some thickeners can have environmental concerns, such as being non-biodegradable. This can limit their use in some applications. For example, some thickeners are used in the production of paints, but their non-biodegradable nature can make them a problem for the environment. There are a number of substitutes for thickeners, such as gums and proteins. This can limit the growth of the thickener market. For example, gums are often used as thickeners in food products, but they are less expensive than some natural thickeners. There are still some technological challenges in the production of thickeners, such as the development of thickeners with improved properties and the scale-up of production processes. This can slow down the growth of the thickener market. For example, researchers are still working on developing thickeners with better heat stability and better flavor profile.

• According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), nearly 15% of industrial thickeners in use still contain non-biodegradable polymers, contributing to microplastic pollution. The EPA highlighted that disposal-related compliance costs increased by 12% in 2023, particularly affecting chemical manufacturers dependent on synthetic additives.

• According to the Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), improper wastewater management during thickener production has resulted in a 17% increase in effluent load across chemical industrial zones since 2022. The enforcement of stricter discharge standards has raised operational costs for producers using solvent-based thickening agents.

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THICKENER MARKET REGIONAL INSIGHTS

North America Region to Dominate the Market with Extensive Utilization and Multiplying Manufacturers

North America is the largest market for thickeners, accounting for a significant share of the global market. The growth of the thickener market in North America is driven by the increasing demand for convenience foods, the growing popularity of plant-based diets, and the rising incidence of dysphagia.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

Financial Players to Contribute Towards Expansion of Market

The thickener market is highly competitive, with a number of leading players. The top players in the market include Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Cargill, Ingredion Incorporated, DuPont de Nemours, CP Kelco, Tate & Lyle, Akzo Nobel, BASF, Dow, Eastman, and Henkel. These companies are the leading manufacturers of thickeners and have a significant share of the global market. They are also involved in research and development of new thickeners with improved properties. Other key players in the thickener market include Kerry Group, PQ Corp, DSM, BYK, Elementis, Fufeng, and Meihua. These companies are also major players in the thickener market and have a ignificant presence in different regions. They are also involved in research and development of new thickeners with improved properties.

• Ashland: According to the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), Ashland operates 12 global R&D centers focused on formulating specialty thickeners for pharmaceutical and personal care applications. The company increased its bio-based product output by 22% in 2023, aligning with federal sustainability targets promoting renewable chemical manufacturing.

• ADM (Archer Daniels Midland): According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), ADM processed over 15 million metric tons of corn and soy starches in 2023, supplying plant-derived thickeners to food, beverage, and paper industries worldwide. The company also reported a 10% rise in demand for clean-label thickeners following USDA’s organic certification reforms promoting naturally sourced additives.

List of Top Thickener Companies

• Ashland (U.S)
• ADM (U.S)
• CP Kelco (U.S)
• FMC Corp (U.S)
• Cargill (U.S)
• BASF (Germany)
• DuPont (U.S)
• Dow (U.S)
• Ingredion (U.S
• Akzo Nobel (Netherlands)
• Celanese (U.S)
• Eastman (U.S)
• PPG (U.S)
• Lubrizol (U.S)
• Henkel (Germany)
• Tate & Lyle (England)
• Grace (U.S)
• PQ Corp (U.S)
• Kerry (Ireland)
• DSM (Netherlands)
• BYK (Germany)
• Elementis (England)
• Fufeng (China)
• Meihua (China)

REPORT COVERAGE

The SWOT analysis and information on future developments are covered in the study. The research report includes a study of a number of factors that promote market growth. This section also covers the range of numerous market categories and applications that could potentially affect the market in the future. The specifics are based on current trends and historical turning points. The state of the market's components and its potential growth areas over the following years. The paper discusses market segmentation information, including subjective and quantitative research, as well as the impact of financial and strategy opinions. Additionally, the research disseminates data on national and regional assessments that take into account the dominant forces of supply and demand that are influencing market growth. The competitive environment, including market shares of significant competitors, is detailed in the report along with fresh research methodology and player strategies for the anticipated time.