Surfactants are chemicals employed in several cleaning solutions due to their ability to lower water surface tension, making the molecules slipperier, making them less likely to stick together and more likely to interact with oil and grease. According to BlueQuark Research & Consulting, the global Surfactant market is expected to witness a significant growth rate during the forecasted period. Factors such as the consciousness regarding personal hygiene and clean surroundings have increased in the current situation, stimulating the demand for personal and household cleaning products, thus enhancing the market growth of surfactants in the forecasted period. Further, the rising preference of consumers toward sustainable green surfactant products is likely to offer beneficial opportunities for the market players in the forecasted period. Furthermore, the agriculture business is stimulating the pesticide market. It also boosts the surfactant market due to the product is being utilized as a wetting agent in herbicides in the forecasted period. However, the strict rules and regulations that have been imposed by the government organizations related to solvent-based detergents are estimated to hinder the growth of the global surfactants market in the forecasted period.

Surfactants are used as ingredients in various products in the personal care segment, like foaming agents, emulsifiers, solubilizing agents, cleansers, dispersants, and conditioners, among others. They are used for detergent formulations and cleaning homes or workplaces, found in most toilet cabinets, personal care products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and various critical industrial applications.

The global surfactant market is mainly driven by the home and personal care and industrial cleaning industry. With technological developments, the application area of surfactants has increased from the daily chemical industry to technical applications, such as petroleum, food, environment, health, and new materials. Surfactants are primarily used to decrease the surface tension between any two liquids or a solid and a liquid in emulsifiers, detergents, wetting agents, dispersants, or foaming agents. They find application in several end-use industries like petroleum, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and cosmetics. Surfactants are chemical compounds that have low surface tension. They are used in the home and the personal care and textile industry. They are also widely in the food and beverages industry. The various sectors where the surfactants are used to are expected to have significant growth during the forecast. As the demand shall rise for the textiles or food and beverage industry, the markets for surfactants are also likely to grow. Surfactants play a vital role in the cleaning agents. They are used for wetting, washing, and emulsifying and as lubricants for shaving creams. Due to raised awareness regarding a high living style and hygiene maintenance, the market for surfactants is expected to progress during the forecast period. Surfactants are used to produce many FMCG products, so the increasing demand for these surfactants shall keep growing through the forecasted period. The aged people suffer from normal geriatric conditions like hair-fall, which primarily supports the hair care market, and skin deterioration, leading to skincare products' sales. This is coupled with the growing revenue of the people in developed and developing countries, again leading to the need for growth in the personal care industry. Now, these personal care products make use of surfactants due to they are good surface-active agents, creating a vast surfactants marketplace. 

The Asia Pacific was the largest market, with over 35% share of the global surfactant market. The market in the region is driven by population growth and the continuous improvement of people's living standards. There is high growth in the usage of cosmetics and detergent products in the region, which is anticipated to drive the development of the consumption of surfactants during the forecasted period. As the demand for specialty surfactants is increasing in various applications, the market for specialty surfactants is predicted to grow drastically during the forecast period, thus providing opportunities for innovations in application-specific products. While the agriculture sector is stroking the insecticide market, it primarily supports the surfactants market as the product is utilized in herbicides as a wetting agent. Herbicides are broadly used to kill weeds on the farms by farmers across the globe, which creates a constant need for surfactants in the agricultural sector, again creating a revenue avenue for the vendors in the surfactants market. The growing population and changing lifestyle have created a need to suffice the food necessities of the people, and the food and beverages sector is responding with innovative products. Now, surfactants are worn as emulsifiers, which are vital for creating and stabilizing the structure in food. With the rising awareness about healthy food, people prefer organic food, leading to a demand for bio based surfactants with high biodegradability, lower toxicity, and activity at extreme temperatures. These reasons are collectively aiding in an increase in the need for surfactants in the food & beverages industry, and thus, there is a growth in the surfactants market size.

The global market for surfactants is highly segmented, owing to many suppliers spread across the regions. The prime critical players in the market include BASF SE, Solvay, The Dow Chemical Company, Stepan Company, and Evonik Industries, among others.

In April 2020, BASF SE appointed BTC Europe as a distribution partner for the entire personal care portfolio in the UK and Ireland. BASF Care Creations' personal care portfolio includes surfactants, emulsions, polymers, and active cosmetic ingredients.

In January 2020, Huntsman International completed the sale of its Chemical Intermediates (includes PO/MTBE) and Surfactants business to Indorama Ventures in a transaction valued at USD 2 billion.

Global Surfactants Market report provides deep insight into the current and future state of the Surfactants market across various regions. The study comprehensively analyzes the Surfactants market by segmenting based on geography, by type (Anionic Surfactant (Linear Alkylbenzene Sulphonate, Secondary Alkane Sulphonate, Alpha Olefin Sulphonate, Methyl Ester Sulphonate & Others), Cationic Surfactants, Non-ionic Surfactants, Amphoteric Surfactants & Others), by end-use (Home and Personal Care, Textile, Institutional Cleaning, Agrochemical, Paints and Coatings, Leather and Others). The report examines the market drivers and restraints and the impact of Covid-19 on the market growth in detail. The study covers & includes emerging market trends, developments, opportunities, and challenges in the industry. This report also covers an extensively researched competitive landscape with profiles of prominent companies, including their market shares and projects.