Prices of household plastic item jump amid war, supply crunch

Ludhiana: The ongoing conflict in West Asia has started to have a direct impact on pockets of the locals. The disruptions and scarcity of plastic that is obtained from crude oil and is one of the materials most pervasive in everyday life has now started to impact households as well. Rising crude oil prices and supply disruptions have pushed up the cost of raw materials, leading to a sharp increase in the prices of everyday plastic products.Traders and shopkeepers in Ludhiana markets say the impact is now visibly substantial. Harvinder Singh, from a popular plastic materials and packaging products store in Jawahar Nagar area, said prices across categories had surged by nearly 30% in recent weeks. "The prices of household goods and packaging material have gone up sharply. Items like buckets, mugs, and dispensers have all become costlier," he explained. Buckets that were earlier available for around Rs 200 are now being sold at Rs 260–270. "Same is true for most plastic household items," he added, noting that manufacturers have passed on the increased input costs directly to retailers. Kunal Gupta, a wholesaler in Saaban Bazaar, raised similar concerns. "The current situation has already had a major impact. Prices have increased by at least 30% across a wide range of products," he said. Items such as plastic bottles, storage boxes, and containers have all seen steep hikes. He pointed out that household storage containers, which were previously priced around Rs 400, were now being sold in the range of Rs 550. "Customers are clearly feeling the pinch, and demand has started to slow down as people postpone non-essential purchases," he added.The price escalation is closely tied to the rising cost of plastic raw materials, particularly low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which is widely used in packaging. Davinder Singh, who runs a plastic products and packaging store in Janta Nagar, said the cost of plastic granules had increased by Rs 50-60 per kg. "The low-density packing material that used to cost around Rs 140/kg has now touched nearly Rs 200/kg," he said. The LDPE is commonly used for flexible packaging applications such as carry bags, wrapping sheets, and protective coverings for goods during transport and storage. With logistics and packaging being essential components across industries, from manufacturing to retail, the price hike is impacting multiple sectors. Manufacturers in Ludhiana and nearby industrial clusters are facing challenges in absorbing these costs. Many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that rely heavily on plastic inputs are struggling to maintain margins. Rajeev Jain, general secretary of the Plastic Manufacturers Association, Ludhiana, said shortly after the conflict, prices of plastic polymers jumped by around Rs 50/kg and the result of the price was now visible at the retail end as well.There are signs of worry in the plastic industry throughout the country. Members of the Plastic Machinery Manufacturers Association of India had expressed concern that since 90% of the plastic industry in India was MSME. Kailash Murarka, former president of the All-India Plastic Manufacturers Association (AIPMA), had said since many MSMEs had stopped operations for want of raw material after the war began, it would impact the B2C (business-to-consumer) market.