12 Kitchen Staples at Risk of Price Increases as Plastic Costs Rise, Including Cooking Oil to Rice

Rising plastic prices do not only affect the household goods industry but can also influence the prices of various everyday kitchen ingredients. Many people think plastic is only related to bottles or containers, but most staple kitchen needs also heavily depend on plastic packaging. From cooking oil and rice to instant spices, everything requires plastic for storage, distribution, and retail sales. When the prices of plastic raw materials such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) rise, producers face significant additional costs. The food and beverage sector is the most vulnerable to this situation. Plastic plays a crucial role in maintaining product quality, extending shelf life, and facilitating distribution. Consequently, if plastic prices surge, the prices of kitchen ingredients could also rise, burdening household expenditures. Here are 12 kitchen ingredients that are typically affected when plastic prices increase, as compiled by Viva on Friday, 24 April 2026. 1. Packaged Drinking Water Packaged drinking water is one of the products most sensitive to rising plastic prices. Plastic bottles and gallons made from petrochemicals make their production costs highly dependent on plastic resin prices. Since packaging is the largest cost component, a rise in plastic prices can directly push up the selling price of drinking water in the market. 2. Cooking Oil Packaged cooking oil in pouches or plastic bottles is usually a product quickly affected. Most producers use flexible plastic or PET bottles for retail distribution. When plastic prices rise, packaging costs increase and are usually followed by adjustments to the selling price to consumers. 3. Rice Modern packaged rice sold in supermarkets generally uses PP or PE plastic to make it safer and more durable. If plastic resin prices rise, packaging costs automatically increase. This can make the price of packaged rice more expensive than before. 4. Granulated Sugar Retail packaged granulated sugar in plastic is also likely to experience price increases. In addition to the sugar raw material itself, packaging and distribution costs also determine the selling price. The more expensive the plastic, the greater the likelihood that sugar prices will adjust accordingly.