Europe Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Market (By Product: Head Protection, Eye Protection; By End-use: Construction, Healthcare) - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, Revenue, Regional Outlook and Forecast 2023-2032

The Europe personal protective equipment (PPE) market was estimated at USD 24,101.93 million in 2022 and it is expected to surpass around USD 43,818.84 million by 2032, poised to grow at a CAGR of 6.16% from 2023 to 2032.

Key Pointers

• The protective clothing segment is expected to hold a significant share of the market in 2022, with a revenue share of 25.55%. 
• The protective footwear segment is projected to expand at a CAGR of 6.27% from 2023 to 2032. 
• The healthcare segment dominated the market in 2022 with a revenue share of 21.36%. 
• The manufacturing segment is estimated to witness a steady growth rate of 7.47%.

Report Scope of the Europe Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Market

The rising compliance with safety regulations for employee safety in various industries is likely to augment the demand for the personal protective equipment market.

Moreover, increasing efforts by the government to strengthen safety regulations is also expected to fuel spending on personal protective equipment. For instance, in June 2021, the European Commission officially introduced a new Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work to keep employees safe and protected. This is expected to boost the Europe personal protective equipment market’s growth over the projected timeframe.

The rising prevalence of infectious diseases across European countries and increasing healthcare expenditure are likely to drive the demand for PPE such as medical gloves, masks, protective clothing, and footwear. According to the World Health Organization, infectious diseases in European regions are increasing among all ages owing to climate change. The rising prevalence of infectious diseases is likely to have a positive impact on the market growth of PPE during the projected timeframe.

Growing industrialization and an increasing number of workers in European countries are leading to surging demand for safety and precautionary measures. According to Eurostat, in 2022, the European Union recorded a 1.9% increase in industrial production compared to the previous year. This is anticipated to bolster the demand for PPE for workers’ safety at the workplace and drive market growth in the coming years.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a positive impact, and the market experienced lucrative growth owing to the increased demand from the healthcare sector. However, the market returned to normal pre-COVID demand with the decreasing patient numbers. Over the forecast period, the market is anticipated to register healthy growth owing to steady demand from the industrial and healthcare sectors.

Moreover, in February 2021, the European Factories of the Future Research Association announced a collaboration with the European Commission and member states of the EU. The partnership aims to implement a new “Made in Europe” strategy and facilitate the manufacturing sector in the region.

Product Insights

The protective clothing segment is expected to hold a significant share of the market in 2022, with a revenue share of 25.55%. The growth of the segment is attributed to the rising adoption of resilient clothing in major industries such as construction, oil & gas, and mining and is expected to enhance market penetration over the forecast period. In addition, the rising demand for single-use manufacturing protective clothing in industries like healthcare and chemicals, where the protective clothing cannot be reused owing to contamination, is expected to complement the segment’s growth. Heat & flame protective clothing offers protection from heat, arc flash, combustible dust explosions, and fire to employees working in end-use industries. Growing demand for the product in the construction, oil & gas, chemical, and firefighting sectors is expected to boost the segment's growth.

The protective footwear segment is projected to expand at a CAGR of 6.27% from 2023 to 2032. Workplace hazards include chainsaws, electric shock, electrical conductivity, metatarsal impact, sole puncture, static discharge, and the impact must be avoided by construction workers by wearing protective footwear. The solution also offers defense against contact with biological and chemical agents, slippery and wet surfaces, exposure to thermal elements including heat and cold as well as molten metals, and electrical & anti-static risks.

The respiratory protective equipment protects employees against hazardous gases & vapors, radiological particles, particulates, chemical agents, and biological contaminants. Rising demand for unpowered respirators particularly in the mining, petrochemical, and the oil & gas sector is expected to drive market growth over the forecast period. Unpowered respirators are used in various industries; for example, FFP1 is mostly used in construction and building activities. FFP2 respirators are suitable for welding, petrochemicals, brazing & working with molten metals, metallurgy, soldering batteries, tire dyes & dyestuff, cement, ceramics, construction, coal, and fertilizers. The above-mentioned factors will positively impact market growth.

End-use Insights

The healthcare segment dominated the market in 2022 with a revenue share of 21.36%. Protective equipment for healthcare workers is crucial to the fight against the novel coronavirus. The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged governments and businesses to act swiftly to boost the production of medical masks, respirators, and gloves. In order to meet the global demand, WHO estimates that companies must increase their production by 40%. Many PPE manufacturers are operating at close to 100% capacity and prioritizing the orders to the countries where the shortage is severe.

The manufacturing segment is estimated to witness a steady growth rate of 7.47%. Personal protective equipment used in the manufacturing industry includes safety helmets, gloves, protective clothing, masks, protective footwear, ear protection, and protective goggles. General manufacturing includes heavy manufacturing such as plastics manufacturing & chemical handling and light manufacturing such as apparel production & food processing all of which need different levels of PPE based on the type of activity and hazard involved. The manufacturing industry in Germany is anticipated to grow at a rapid rate in the future owing to favorable government initiatives. With the rising workforce, new factories and plants have been set up in the country, which is expected to drive the PPE market over the forecast period.

The mining industry is anticipated to remain a key end-use sector for the personal protective equipment market globally owing to the high level of industrial hazards. Mining is associated with a large number of hazards, such as contact of chemicals with the skin and inhalation of harmful gases that may cause diseases and risk the life of an employee. Airborne contaminants arising from mining activities are the most dangerous and pose respiratory hazards that tend to cause fatal illness to affected employees. In 2021, 3M Company launched a KN95 respirator with a four-layer 3D design that filters 95% of airborne particles such as dust, smog, smoke, PM2.5, and other particles.

Europe Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Market Segmentations:

By Product

• Head Protection
• Eye Protection
• Face Protection
• Hearing Protection
• Protective Clothing
  
  • Heat & flame protection
  • Chemical defending
  • Clean room clothing
  • Mechanical protective clothing
  • Limited general use
  • Others
• Respiratory Protection
  
  • Air-purifying respirator
  • Supplied air respirators
• Protective Footwear
  
  • Leather
  • Rubber
  • PVC
  • Polyurethane
  • Others
• Fall Protection
  
  • Soft Goods
  • Hard Goods
  • Others
• Hand Protection
  
  • Disposable
  • Durable
• Others

By End-use

• Construction
• Manufacturing
• Oil & Gas
• Chemicals
• Food
• Pharmaceuticals
• Healthcare
• Transportation
• Mining
• Others