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Waste Collection in Germany - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Nina Koefler Nina Koefler Frankfurt, Germany Last Updated: October 2024 WZ E38.10DE

Revenue

€18.1bn

2024

€18.1bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

€X.Xbn

Employees

81,315

Businesses

920

Wages

€X.Xbn

Waste Collection in Germany industry analysis

Despite some challenging conditions, the industry developed positively in the years leading up to the coronavirus crisis. Although society's increasing environmental awareness has led to new regulations and slower growth in waste volumes, the waste collection industry has also benefited from this, as waste disposal services are becoming increasingly complex and higher turnover can be generated from them. The coronavirus crisis had an enormous impact on the industry, particularly in the first half of 2020, as waste volumes fell and lower revenues were generated from the resale of waste to downstream industries such as recycling service providers. This was due to a general drop in commodity prices caused by the crisis. Since autumn 2020, however, industry players have benefited from high commodity prices. In 2024, industry turnover is expected to fall by 1.1% to €18.1 billion. This means that turnover has only increased by an average of 0.9% since 2019.The production volume is likely to fall in the current year and therefore the volume of waste is also likely to decrease. The construction sector, a key market for waste collectors, is also in crisis. While many orders from the pre-crisis period were still being processed in 2020, the declining number of new orders in the construction industry made itself felt in 2021 and 2022. In 2024, building construction and other areas of the construction sector are likely to continue to suffer from high construction material costs despite falling key interest rates, which should continue to affect construction activity and demand for waste collection services.For the period from 2024 to 2029, IBISWorld expects average annual growth of 0.8% and industry revenue of 18.8 billion euros in 2029. The trend towards remunicipalisation is likely to become less significant in the medium term due to the financial weakness of local authorities as a result of the crisis and may even reverse in some cases, leading to greater privatisation. The number of sector companies and employees is expected to increase further by 2029, as the sector is likely to benefit from society's growing environmental awareness and the resulting increase in demand for complex waste management services.

Trends and Insights

  • The volume of waste is falling noticeably, which is having a negative impact on the revenue development of waste collectors. This is partly due to the successful efforts of government stakeholders to introduce waste reduction programmes.
  • The slowdown in the construction industry is unfavourable for the sector, as less construction waste and similar waste is being produced. This market will therefore become less important in the coming years.
  • The centre region is home to the most companies in the sector. It generates a particularly large amount of municipal waste due to its high population share.
  • Established industry players have an advantage in internal competition, as new companies have less of a chance in public tendering procedures. It is not only the price, but also the available capacities and the experience as well as the reputation of the player that are decisive.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.9 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €18.1bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

The waste collectors operate in regionally delimited monopolies

  • The local authorities fulfil their duty with the help of public waste disposal facilities. A special feature of the industry is that competition primarily takes place for access to contracts.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Waste Collection in Germany
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Biggest companies in the Waste Collection in Germany

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue (€m)
2024
Remondis SE & Co. KG
911.6
Berliner Stadtreinigungsbetriebe AöR
387.2
Veolia Deutschland GmbH
236.1

To view the market share and analysis for all 4 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Waste Collection in Germany
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Collection of municipal waste, Collection of waste from production and trade and Collection of construction and demolition waste. Collection of municipal waste is the largest segment of the Waste Collection in Germany.

Trends and Insights

Sales of municipal waste only increase to a limited extent if the volume of waste increases

  • Municipal waste is waste similar to household waste that is generated by private households and companies. This includes bulky waste, biodegradable waste as well as glass, paper, cardboard, cardboard packaging and waste electrical and electronic equipment.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The sector includes the collection of hazardous and non-hazardous waste such as municipal waste, household waste, commercial waste, recyclable materials and waste from the production of companies. The sector is also responsible for emptying rubbish bins in public places and for the collection and disposal of construction waste, demolition waste and pruning waste.

What's included in this industry?

Collection of municipal wasteCollection of waste from production and tradeCollection of construction and demolition waste

Companies

Remondis SE & Co. KGBerliner Stadtreinigungsbetriebe AöRVeolia Deutschland GmbH

Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

REMUNICIPALISATIONCIRCULAR ECONOMYMUNICIPAL WASTEPRIMARY RAW MATERIALSSECONDARY RAW MATERIALS

Industry Code

WZ 2008

WZ 38.1 - Waste Collection in Germany

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

The volume of waste is falling noticeably, which is having a negative impact on the revenue development of waste collectors. This is partly due to the successful efforts of g...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

The slowdown in the construction industry is unfavourable for the sector, as less construction waste and similar waste is being produced. This market will therefore become le...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

The centre region is home to the most companies in the sector. It generates a particularly large amount of municipal waste due to its high population share.

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Established industry players have an advantage in internal competition, as new companies have less of a chance in public tendering procedures. It is not only the price, but a...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Municipal partnerships secure the success of Remondis. The company is pursuing a growth strategy and is endeavouring to secure waste disposal contracts in new municipalities....

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Remondis SE & Co. KG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Berliner Stadtreinigungsbetriebe AöR's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Veolia Deutschland GmbH's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Remondis SE & Co. KG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Berliner Stadtreinigungsbetriebe AöR, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Veolia Deutschland GmbH, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The industry's turnover is volatile. This is due to the fluctuating market prices for recyclable materials, particularly for scrap metals, which have a direct impact on turno...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

The profit margin of waste collection companies has recently increased. This is due to the rise in commodity prices, which increases the income from the resale of recyclable ...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Waste Collection industry in Germany in 2024?

The market size of the Waste Collection industry in Germany is €18.1bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Waste Collection in Germany industry in 2024?

There are 920 businesses in the Waste Collection industry in Germany, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.3 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Waste Collection industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Waste Collection industry in Germany has been growing at a CAGR of 0.9 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Waste Collection industry in Germany over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Waste Collection industry in Germany is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Waste Collection market in Germany?

The biggest companies operating in the Waste Collection market in Germany are Remondis SE & Co. KG, Berliner Stadtreinigungsbetriebe AöR and Veolia Deutschland GmbH

What does the Waste Collection in Germany include?

Collection of municipal waste and Collection of waste from production and trade are part of the Waste Collection industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Waste Collection in Germany?

The company holding the most market share in Germany is Remondis SE & Co. KG.

How competitive is the Waste Collection industry in Germany?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Waste Collection industry in Germany.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

View all industries in Germany

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Germany include:

  • German Federal Statistics Office (Destatis)
  • European Statistics Office (Eurostat)
  • United Nations Comtrade

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.