The Italian Plastics Industries toward a Plastic-Free Society: what Possible Strategies?

The article studies the evolution of the economic performance of plastic manufacturers in Italy. The economic analysis will analyse the past decade, influenced by the effects of the global financial crisis and the increase in environmental problems, involving the plastics industry due to regulations aimed at reducing the environmental impacts attributed to plastics. the study demonstrates good profitability of the enterprises and an ability to answer to the stimuli of the international crises, with a good possibility of self-financing for the conversion of the productive processes, especially for small enterprises that have better values than large enterprises. The results are useful for entrepreneurs and national authorities to identify appropriate policies to support the sector and its restructuring for a sustainable world. The article is one of the rare attempts to integrate economic considerations with qualitative analysis, identifying the variables ignored and verifying the effects of these variables on enterprises.