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Detergents and surfactants: top exporters and importers (2024)

In 2024, world trade in detergents and surfactants totaled $46.6 billion (23.2 million tonnes). The top exporters were Germany (11%), the United States (10%) and China (9%); the top importers were Germany (7%), the United States (6%) and France (5%). Compared with 2019, the value rose 29%.

Summary

World trade
$46.6billion
Tonnes
23.2million tonnes
Price per tonne
$2,005
The largest flows between countries. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Top exporters

  1. Germany$5 billion · 10.8%
  2. United States$4.4 billion · 9.5%
  3. China$4.1 billion · 8.8%
  4. France$3 billion · 6.5%
  5. Belgium$2.6 billion · 5.5%
    re-exports
  6. Italy$2.4 billion · 5.2%
  7. Poland$2.4 billion · 5.2%
  8. Netherlands$2 billion · 4.3%
    re-exports
  9. Spain$1.7 billion · 3.7%
  10. United Kingdom$1.7 billion · 3.6%
  11. Japan$1.2 billion · 2.5%
  12. Mexico$1.1 billion · 2.3%
  13. South Korea$1.1 billion · 2.3%
  14. Turkey$957 million · 2.1%
  15. Canada$895 million · 1.9%
  16. Czechia$815 million · 1.8%
  17. Thailand$723 million · 1.6%
  18. India$682 million · 1.5%
  19. Serbia$496 million · 1.1%
  20. Denmark$487 million · 1.1%

Top importers

  1. Germany$3.4 billion · 7.3%
  2. United States$2.9 billion · 6.2%
  3. France$2.4 billion · 5.2%
  4. China$2.2 billion · 4.7%
  5. United Kingdom$2.2 billion · 4.6%
  6. Canada$2.1 billion · 4.4%
  7. Netherlands$1.6 billion · 3.3%
    re-exports
  8. Poland$1.3 billion · 2.7%
  9. Belgium$1.2 billion · 2.6%
    re-exports
  10. Italy$1.1 billion · 2.4%
  11. Spain$971 million · 2.1%
  12. Japan$756 million · 1.6%
  13. Russia$753 million · 1.6%
  14. Australia$737 million · 1.6%
  15. Turkey$704 million · 1.5%
  16. Austria$682 million · 1.5%
  17. Vietnam$670 million · 1.4%
  18. Czechia$657 million · 1.4%
  19. Romania$638 million · 1.4%
  20. United Arab Emirates$614 million · 1.3%

Trend

Who sells it

Germany was the top exporter throughout the period

Value in USD billions. The five largest exporters in 2024.

  • Germany 5
  • United States 4.4
  • China 4.1
  • France 3
  • Belgium 2.6

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Country19952024
Germany1.55
United States14.4
China0.054.1
France0.813
Belgium0.882.6

Price

Implied price

The price per tonne rose 40% since 1995

Current US dollars per tonne: value over the weight reported by BACI.

  • 2024: $2,005

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearUSD per tonne
1995$1,430
1996$1,363
1997$1,261
1998$1,225
1999$1,187
2000$1,103
2001$1,090
2002$1,091
2003$1,233
2004$1,277
2005$1,374
2006$1,416
2007$1,540
2008$1,772
2009$1,684
2010$1,668
2011$1,875
2012$1,814
2013$1,844
2014$1,864
2015$1,679
2016$1,641
2017$1,687
2018$1,810
2019$1,687
2020$1,758
2021$1,905
2022$2,044
2023$2,105
2024$2,005

What it includes

  • 3402 · Detergents and surfactants

Products in the same chapter

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), which reconciles what exporters and importers report: countries that stopped reporting (Russia since 2022) appear with their partners’ data. FOB values in current US dollars; tonnes when BACI reports them. The price per tonne is the value of the rows with a weight divided by that weight. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.

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