Humectants Market Report 2026

The humectants market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $32.3 billion in 2025 to $34.97 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.3%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth of personal care and cosmetic industries, rising demand for processed foods, expansion of pharmaceutical manufacturing, increased use in animal nutrition, availability of synthetic humectant production technologies.

The humectants market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $48.68 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing demand for clean-label ingredients, rising adoption in premium skincare products, expansion of functional food formulations, growing pharmaceutical consumption, increasing focus on sustainable ingredient sourcing. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing use of natural and bio-based humectants, rising demand in personal care formulations, growing application in pharmaceutical products, expansion of humectants in food preservation, enhanced focus on moisture retention performance.

Rising demand from the food and beverage industry is expected to drive the growth of the humectants market in the coming years. The food and beverage sector includes businesses involved in the production, distribution, and sale of edible goods and beverages, spanning agriculture, manufacturing, restaurants, and cafes. Humectants are used in this industry to retain moisture, extend shelf life, and maintain product freshness. For example, in July 2025, the Government of Canada reported that exports of processed food and beverage products reached a record $59.8 billion in 2024, reflecting a 3.8% increase compared with 2023. Consequently, rising demand from the food and beverage industry is supporting the growth of the humectants market.

Key companies in the humectants market are developing advanced solutions such as bio-circular and circular propylene glycol products. Bio-circular propylene glycol solutions are derived from renewable resources or post-consumer waste, integrating biological and circular economy principles to reduce fossil fuel use. Circular propylene glycol solutions utilize recycled materials to minimize waste and promote sustainability by closing the production loop. For instance, in March 2024, Dow Jones Industrial Average, a US-based materials science company, launched Propylene Glycol CIR and Propylene Glycol REN, incorporating bio-circular and circular feedstocks. These products use a mass balance approach and are certified by International Sustainability and Carbon Certification Plus (ISCC), reflecting Dow’s commitment to sustainable production. Propylene Glycol CIR includes Renuva recycled content, processing hard-to-recycle waste into feedstocks, while Propylene Glycol REN reduces fossil fuel dependency through Ecolibrium bio-circular technology.

In October 2025, Brenntag, a Germany-based chemical distributor, partnered with Givaudan to supply cosmetic actives and ingredients in Thailand. The collaboration aims to improve the availability and distribution of high-quality cosmetic ingredients, supporting growth in the personal care and beauty market in the region while fostering innovation in product formulation and development. Givaudan, based in Switzerland, is a manufacturer of flavors, fragrances, and cosmetic ingredients, specializing in innovative cosmetic actives and solutions for the global personal care industry.

Major companies operating in the humectants market are BASF, Dow, Evonik Industries, Lanxess, Cargill, ADM (Archer Daniels Midland), Corbion, Jungbunzlauer, DSM-Firmenich, Roquette, Ingredion, Tate And Lyle, Ashland, Lubrizol, Croda International, Kao Corporation, Clariant, Solvay, Arkema, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation.

North America was the largest region in the humectants market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the global humectants market during the forecast period. The regions covered in the humectants market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the humectants market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The humectants market consists of sales of hyaluronic acid, glycerol, and aloe vera. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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