37% expect primary raw materials to run out quickly.
Rotterdam, Oct. 9, 2025- Half of Dutch companies (49%) expect raw material scarcity to result in higher prices for both products and services. They anticipate having to pass some of this cost increase on to their end customers. This is according to research by waste and raw materials manager Milgro among 311 decision makers.
42 percent of Dutch companies depend to a greater or lesser extent on scarce raw materials. Nineteen percent of companies are even so dependent on these raw materials that they see current raw material scarcity as a concrete business risk. Raw material scarcity not only poses a threat to business continuity, but also puts pressure on competitiveness and customer relationships.
Urgency scarcity is not yet getting through to everyone
Time is ticking, but awareness among Dutch companies remains largely absent. Two thirds (67%) are not yet aware of a raw material scarcity and do not see an acute threat in current raw material use. However, 37 percent of companies do recognize the threat. They expect to run out of raw materials essential to their primary processes in the near term if things continue at this rate. Although the scarcity is noted, however, many organizations still lack decisiveness. 24 percent of companies notice a dependence on certain raw materials, but are not yet concerned with a possible situation in which these raw materials are no longer available.
Long-term investment
Circular business practices can actively reduce dependence on specific raw materials. Of the companies that implement circular initiatives in their operations, three in ten (29 percent) experience cost savings and even yield increases already. 38 percent see operating partially circular as a long-term investment, with the impact only becoming visible later, and do not look at the immediate effects. Among organizations that do, only 18 percent see circular initiatives only as a cost.
Gijs Derks, director at Milgro: "Every week we see reports in the news about sustainability and the energy transition, which is a hugely positive development. However, the focus on sustainability should not only be on the energy transition. The raw materials transition is at least as urgent as the energy transition. If we continue to deplete our raw materials at the current rate, this will jeopardize the continuity of our economy. Organizations that lag behind on circularity will feel the consequences the hardest."
How can your company truly become circular?
Download the free step-by-step guide. No abstract promises, this is a concrete plan you can apply immediately.
It supports your organization in gaining insight into your current position, taking practical, actionable steps- whether you are just starting out or already advanced and reducing waste through smarter design, sustainable procurement, and improved collaboration across the value chain.
