R-PET prices in the USA moved higher into mid-April 2026, reflecting a tug-of-war between improving availability and domestic tightness. Early March was broadly balanced; output disruption at a major reprocessor tightened usable flake, while collection improvements and recovery infrastructure boosted inventories, creating a push-and-pull dynamic for R-PET that left buyers cautious. Recycled-content mandates for beverage packaging continued to underpin baseline demand from brand owners even as broader order activity remained muted. Beverage packaging remained the strongest driver, supported by rules and steady bottler purchasing, while fiber and thermoforming stayed steady yet faced competition from virgin PET. Packaging converters largely stuck to contract procurement, limiting spot volatility. Domestic reprocessors supply majority of national demand, with imports slightly less. In March, R-PET spot activity softened briefly but then firmed as inventories grew; near-term outlook remains mixed, conditioned by mandates, energy, logistics costs, recovery infrastructure, and import flows, with seasonal beverage cycles supporting demand later in the year.
