| Beverages and food accounted for 41% of world consumption of benzoic acid in the form of sodium and potassium benzoate in 2006; global consumption in these applications is forecast to grow at an average annual rate of 3.6% during 2006–2011. Other major applications include benzoate plasticizers, alkyd resins and benzoyl chloride.
The following pie chart shows world consumption of benzoic acid by region:
World growth prospects for benzoic acid in food and beverages are good. The main factors behind this growth are:
- Improving living standards, particularly in Asia
- Desire for convenience (increased popularity of processed foods and ready-to-drink beverages)
- Food safety (preservation); longer shelf lives are anticipated as more food and ready-to-drink beverages are consumed days or weeks after production
Other robust markets include:
- Benzoate plasticizers, which are viewed as replacements to phthalates in some applications.
- Animal feed additives, where benzoic acid is used as a growth promoter and preservative. Europe is the largest market for this application since the European Union banned antibiotic growth promoters in early 2006.
Demand growth in Europe is attributable largely to increased consumption in animal feeds and benzoate plasticizers. In Asia, sodium and potassium benzoate and benzoyl chloride are the fastest growing markets for benzoic acid. Marginal growth is forecast for the Americas mainly as a result of weaker demand in alkyd resins, little growth for sodium and potassium benzoate, and the exit of the sole producer of benzoyl chloride. China has become the world’s main supplier of benzoyl chloride and sodium and potassium benzoate.
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