Economic Performance of Italian Plastic Manufacturers between the two International Crises

The current article examines the evolution of the economic performance of Italian plastic producers in the decade characterised by the effects of the global financial crisis and the restrictions related to the environmental effect that derive from plastic. The study highlights the increase in profitability after the economic and financial crisis (2008), despite the lower values recorded in the years 2012–2013 in which the crisis, in Italy, had a revival. On the other hand, this situation is homogeneous throughout the country, in fact the statistical tests ANOVA and Tuckey Kramer do not reveal significant differences between macro-geographical areas. The growing profitability could encourage the self-financing needed for the restructuring that will be induced by the recent European legislation aimed at eliminating many plastic products considered harmful to the ecological environment.