Industry research
Scope
Europe
Companies
82
Table of contents
What does the medical consumables & disposables market landscape look like in Europe?
The European medical consumables and disposables industry is characterised by a high degree of consolidation driven by regulatory barriers (limiting organic growth potential), economies of scale and the (limited) reach of distribution networks. The incremental costs from the EU Medical Device Regulation and growing pressure on production efficiencies are expected to contribute to further market consolidation in the foreseeable future.
What is the level of investor activity in Europe's medical consumables & disposables industry?
Sponsor-led interest has been moderate, with ~46% of identified assets being backed by financial sponsors (October 2025). This interest is mainly driven by the sector’s resilient demand, ageing demographics in the EU and M&A roll-out opportunities. On the other hand, price pressures exerted by hospital purchasing associations, low-cost competition and potential supply chain disruptions amid geopolitical tensions represent key risks.
What are the key ESG considerations in Europe's medical consumables & disposables industry?
Relevant ESG topics primarily focus on environmental and social issues. The market is characterised by products with a disposable nature, which inherently implies a significant impact on the environment in the form of accumulated waste. To mitigate their impact, market incumbents focus on developing sustainable packaging and product designs, as well as engaging in remanufacturing practices. From a social perspective, players are responsible for providing safe products that limit healthcare-associated infections.
The European MedTech industry was valued at ~€170bn in 2024, with the medical consumables segment growing at a ~8.5% CAGR in the 2019-2024 period (MedTech Europe, September 2025)
The global medical consumables market was valued at ~$422bn in 2025 and was projected to reach ~$571bn by 2035, registering a CAGR of ~3% for the period (Alvarez & Marsal, June 2025)
Ageing EU demographics with the share of population aged >65 projected to rise from 21% in 2022 to ~33% in 2100, corresponding to an absolute increase of ~42m persons (Eurostat, March 2023; Alvarez & Marsal, June 2025). This is set to boost public expenditure on healthcare, as well as increase the volume of hospital patients (European Commission, April 2024)
Expanding healthcare spending in emerging economies yields new demand (Coloplast, September 2025). For example, healthcare spending in developing Asia-Pacific and LATAM countries has grown faster than GDP in recent years (OECD, November 2024; OECD, April 2023)
Increased focus on infection prevention at healthcare institutions supports the demand for single-use devices, while technological advancements lead to improved reliability and efficiency of such devices versus reusable alternatives (Alvarez & Marsal, June 2025; Hartmann Group, October 2025; Ambu, November 2024)
Price pressures from customer concentration and churn as hospitals consolidate procurement through large-sized purchasing associations. This risk will be further amplified by the low degree of diversification in the industry and market entry of low-cost Asian players, whose product quality is improving considerably (interview by Gain.pro)
The ever-changing regulatory requirements are increasingly hard to meet for incumbent players (HARTMANN Group, 2024; Coloplast, September 2025). While medical consumables are not highly challenged through far-reaching frameworks (e.g. EU MDR), governmental rules across the world have the potential to decrease margins
Geopolitical disruptions (e.g. the Russia–Ukraine war) strain raw material sourcing. Additional risks (e.g. US tariffs) could further hinder output capacity and weigh on margins, particularly for export-oriented market players (Ambu, November 2024)
With the full report, you’ll gain access to:
Detailed assessments of the market outlook
Insights from c-suite industry executives
A clear overview of all active investors in the industry
An in-depth look into 82 private companies, incl. financials, ownership details and more.
A view on all 322 deals in the industry
ESG assessments with highlighted ESG outperformers
