The compound is a precursor to poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), a polymer that is produced on a large scale industrially.

[1][failed verification] 2-Hydroxyethyl terephthalic acid is a colorless solid that is soluble in water and polar organic solvents.

[citation needed] 2-Hydroxyethyl terephthalic acid is an intermediate in both the formation and hydrolysis of PET.

It is produced on a massive scale as the first intermediate in certain routes to PET.

It is also produced by the partial hydrolysis of PET, as catalyzed by the enzyme PETase:[2]