Europe: Crude steel output declines even as scrap-based share rises to 52%

Scrap generation has stayed broadly stable at 89-103 mnt, while consumption fell from 85 mnt in CY’21 to 71 mnt in CY’23, before recovering slightly to 76 mnt in CY’24-CY’25. This mirrors the drop in crude steel production from 152.8 mnt in CY’21 to 126-129 mnt in CY’23-CY’25, indicating that weaker steel output has directly curtailed scrap demand. At the same time, scrap intensity continues to rise, with scrap-based share increasing from 50% to over 52%, reflecting a structural shift towards EAF-led production and decarbonisation. However, this higher intensity has not translated into stronger absolute consumption due to lower overall steel output.