Europe Medical Gloves Market size surpassed USD 6 billion in 2021 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 14.5% from 2022 to 2028. Growing number of patients undergoing surgical procedures in the region will positively impact the market growth.

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According to Europa.eu, nearly 1.12 million caesarean section surgeries were performed in the EU in 2020. Since surgical gloves act as a protective barrier preventing potential disease-causing microbe transmission during surgical procedures, they are widely utilized across the healthcare industry of the region.

Medical gloves are part of personal protective equipment (PPE) intended to keep patients and healthcare personnel safe from the spread of infection during medical examinations and surgical procedures. Among other types, powder-free gloves are currently in high demand due to the reduced risk of allergies.

Moreover, the rising occurrence of road accidents causing injuries such as back and spinal cord injuries, knee injuries, and brain injuries that require immediate medical intervention is expected to augment medical gloves adoption.

Impact of the coronavirus outbreak on Europe medical gloves industry

Since the outbreak of the global SARS-CoV-2 virus, several healthcare authorities emphasized the modification of hospital standard operating protocols and advocated higher use of personal protective equipment such as medical gloves for surgical and non-surgical purposes.

Since plastic medical waste has become a key problem since the pandemic, the use of non-biodegradable disposable gloves is likely to see a decline. Doctors and environmentalists alike are expected to prefer the use of more eco-friendly products. A study published in the Environmental Science and Technology journal reveals that over 65 billion disposable gloves were used each month during the pandemic.

Europe Market, By Usage

Disposable medical gloves provide protection against the transmission of various pathogens during surgeries and medical examinations.  Product use will grow as it helps prevent hospital-acquired infections (HAI) and surgical site infections (SSI) from the proximity of patients and with the devices used in medical procedures, such as catheters or ventilators.

According to a scientific study, bacterial and viral infections can emerge within 48 hours of a patient's admission, and up to 30% of hospitalized patients are infected asymptomatically. To safeguard both caregivers and patients from such infections, the need for PPE, including disposable gloves is increasing.

Being single-use, these gloves are easy to dispose-off and have fewer chances of catching bacteria on the skin. They are also cost-friendly and fit the user well. Ongoing development and modernization of aging healthcare infrastructure, combined with a significant upsurge in medical reforms in the region will further drive the market revenue.

Europe Market, By Country

Germany medical gloves market size will exceed USD 1.2 billion revenue by 2028, owing to the rising frequency of chronic and infectious illnesses. Heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, and different types of cancers are among the most common diseases in Germany. The country has one of the highest rates of cancer in the world. The high illness burden is likely to increase the demand for medical tests and procedures, thereby impacting PPE sales, including medical gloves.

Europe Market, By Product

The increasing prevalence of latex allergy among healthcare workers is one of the primary drivers of nitrile gloves uptake in the region. Even though these gloves are latex-free, they offer the user a similar feel to latex material. The rising need of surgical operations due to increasing number of patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and the expanding elderly population are likely to influence the industry outlook.

Competitive Industry Landscape

Major players involved in the Europe medical gloves market include Supermax Corporation Berhad, Top Glove Corporation Berhad, Semperit AG Holding, Ansell Limited, SHIELD Scientific, Cardinal Health, Inc., Medline Industries, Inc., and Robinson Healthcare.

To keep up with the competition, companies are improving their current offerings and launching innovative products. With an aim to attract new clientele, these companies are exploring new product and market segments and increasing their presence on social media and eCommerce platforms. Meeting the quality expectations of customers is likely to become a key challenge for manufacturers in the coming years.

Recently, Ansell Limited announced that it will invest considerable resources toward the quality testing of products used for handling chemotherapeutics to ensure operator safety. Its innovative project, ‘Ansell’s Cytostatic Permeation Program (ACPP), will assess the permeation of chemotherapy drugs, which could pose health risks such as skin and eye irritation, hair loss, headaches, and even miscarriages, among healthcare workers.