Abstract: A plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin composition and method of plasticizing and decreasing the hydrophobicity of said PVC resin for adherence of aqueous coating compositions, such as water-based inks, by incorporating into the PVC resin a polymeric plasticizer for PVC, a monomeric diacid plasticizer, comprising primarily a C.sub.5, C.sub.4 or C.sub.3 diacid plasticizer, or mixtures, in a ratio of polymeric/monomeric plasticizers of 5/95 to 95/5, preferably 90/10 to 60/40, and at least about 0.1%, based on the weight of the PVC resin, of a metal salt additive, wherein the metal salt is an oxide or a hydroxide and has an oxidation state of plus two, three or four, preferably calcium oxide and/or calcium hydroxide. The monomeric/polymeric plasticizer combination together with the metal salt additive(s) unexpectedly decreases the hydrophobicity of the PVC surface for strong adherence of water-based inks and coatings thereto.