With the U.S. printing industry sales down 5.2% year over year in 2023, it can look like momentum is fading, but the demand signals are just as strong in the mailroom and on packaging lines. From 67% of buyers using QR codes to 52% relying on variable data printing and 78% preferring physical catalogs for certain purchases, the picture is all about where print still wins. This post pulls together the most useful Print Industry statistics behind packaging growth, paper economics, and the technology shifts reshaping production.
Key Takeaways
- 13% of the value of global advertising spending was attributable to direct mail in 2023
- 78% of consumers say they prefer physical catalogs over websites for certain purchases
- USPS Informed Visibility data show that mail volume continues to be tracked at the household level, enabling measurable targeting and supporting print marketing operations.
- 5.2% year-over-year decline in U.S. printing industry sales in 2023
- $984 billion global packaging market size in 2023
- $49.9 billion global commercial printing market size in 2023
- Up to 30% lower energy consumption with LED-UV curing compared with conventional systems
- 20% of printer operating costs are attributable to labor in many commercial print operations
- 8–12% of print job cost is attributed to color management and rework in offset workflows
- 90%+ compliance rate for barcode/serialization checks in qualified packaging workflows
- 3-sigma quality levels achieved by color-managed VDP workflows in packaging applications
- 2.4% average annual decrease in paper consumption per ton of output in printing operations in 2020–2023 (efficiency trend rate).
- 67% of print buyers use QR codes on printed marketing materials
- 26% of printers adopted eco-solvent or bio-based inks as of 2023
- 48% of printers use digital proofing instead of physical proofs
Direct mail and personalized print remain strong, even as U.S. printing sales declined in 2023.
Industry Trends
113% of the value of global advertising spending was attributable to direct mail in 2023[1]
Verified
278% of consumers say they prefer physical catalogs over websites for certain purchases[2]
Single source
3USPS Informed Visibility data show that mail volume continues to be tracked at the household level, enabling measurable targeting and supporting print marketing operations.[3]
Verified
4E-commerce accounted for 15.8% of total retail sales in the United States in 2024, increasing demand for packaging print and shipping labels.[4]
Verified
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry Trends data show that direct mail still represents 13% of global advertising spend in 2023, while 78% of consumers prefer physical catalogs for certain purchases and e-commerce growth pushing retail sales to 15.8% in 2024 is fueling demand for packaging print and shipping labels.
Market Size
15.2% year-over-year decline in U.S. printing industry sales in 2023[5]
Directional
2$984 billion global packaging market size in 2023[6]
Verified
3$49.9 billion global commercial printing market size in 2023[7]
Verified
44.0% average annual growth rate expected for the global label printing market from 2024 to 2032[8]
Directional
5$28.6 billion global packaging and labeling services market size in 2023[9]
Single source
612,000+ U.S. establishments employed 20+ people in printing-related industries in 2022[10]
Verified
7193.9 million tonnes of wood pulp were produced globally in 2022[11]
Verified
82.1% YoY increase in global paper and paperboard production in 2023[12]
Single source
92023 U.S. printing industry sales were down 5.2% year over year, reflecting contraction in the domestic printing market.[13]
Verified
10Global flexographic packaging printing market size was $7.3 billion in 2023, demonstrating a substantial sub-segment of printing tied to packaging.[14]
Verified
11$154.0 billion U.S. paper manufacturing shipments in 2023 (US$ billions; includes pulp, paper, and paperboard production and shipment value).[15]
Single source
Market Size Interpretation
In the market size view of the print industry, 2023 showed clear pressure on traditional demand with U.S. printing industry sales down 5.2% year over year while global packaging alone hit $984 billion, underscoring how much growth and scale in printing are increasingly concentrated in packaging and related segments.
Cost Analysis
1Up to 30% lower energy consumption with LED-UV curing compared with conventional systems[16]
Verified
220% of printer operating costs are attributable to labor in many commercial print operations[17]
Verified
38–12% of print job cost is attributed to color management and rework in offset workflows[18]
Verified
4$63 per ton average 2023 U.S. paper and paperboard price index level (US$ per metric ton, average index value).[19]
Verified
53.6% increase in U.S. wages for printing-related occupations in 2023 (year-over-year wage growth).[20]
Verified
Cost Analysis Interpretation
From a cost analysis perspective, shifting to LED UV curing can cut energy use by up to 30%, but labor and rework remain major cost drivers at 20% of operating costs for labor and 8 to 12% of job costs for color management and rework.
Performance Metrics
190%+ compliance rate for barcode/serialization checks in qualified packaging workflows[21]
Verified
23-sigma quality levels achieved by color-managed VDP workflows in packaging applications[22]
Directional
32.4% average annual decrease in paper consumption per ton of output in printing operations in 2020–2023 (efficiency trend rate).[23]
Directional
Performance Metrics Interpretation
The performance metrics show strong and measurable improvement, with 90%+ compliance in barcode and serialization checks, 3-sigma quality maintained through color-managed VDP workflows, and a 2.4% average annual efficiency gain in paper use per ton of output from 2020 to 2023.
User Adoption
167% of print buyers use QR codes on printed marketing materials[24]
Verified
226% of printers adopted eco-solvent or bio-based inks as of 2023[25]
Verified
348% of printers use digital proofing instead of physical proofs[26]
Single source
42.7% share of global corporate use cases for print automation were reported for ERP-integrated estimating[27]
Directional
529% of print buyers use online ordering portals for print products (self-service portal usage share).[28]
Directional
User Adoption Interpretation
User Adoption in print is being driven by digital, with 67% of print buyers using QR codes and 29% ordering through online portals, while printers increasingly modernize workflows as 48% use digital proofing and 26% have adopted eco-solvent or bio-based inks.
Consumer Behavior
152% of print buyers report they use variable data printing (VDP) to personalize marketing messages, showing high utilization of print personalization.[29]
Verified
263% of marketers reported that data-driven targeting improves campaign ROI, supporting higher demand for personalized print outputs.[30]
Verified
327% of U.S. consumers said they would prefer to receive information about products and services on paper rather than digitally when making purchase decisions.[31]
Verified
464% of marketers said they use QR codes on printed materials, indicating strong QR adoption in physical print channels.[32]
Verified
546% of U.S. consumers say they are more likely to respond to marketing that includes a call-to-action on paper, supporting print effectiveness.[33]
Verified
Consumer Behavior Interpretation
From a consumer behavior perspective, the strongest trend is that print still drives action, with 46% of U.S. consumers saying they are more likely to respond to marketing that includes a call to action on paper, reinforced by 27% preferring paper for purchase decisions.
How We Rate Confidence
Models
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Single source
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Directional
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
Verified
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Models
Cite This Report
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APA
Min-ji Park. (2026, February 13). Print Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/print-industry-statistics
MLA
Min-ji Park. "Print Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/print-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Min-ji Park. 2026. "Print Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/print-industry-statistics.
References
- 1statista.com/statistics/262976/global-advertising-spending-by-media-type/
- 24statista.com/statistics/273648/qr-code-usage-by-consumers-in-selected-countries/
- 2gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2020-04-30-gartner-consumer-preference-for-print-catalogs
- 27gartner.com/en/information-technology/insights/print-automation-erp-estimating-2-7-share
- 3usps.com/business/informed-delivery.htm
- 31usps.com/strategic-plans/financial-statements/consumer-survey.htm
- 4cnbc.com/2024/08/15/e-commerce-share-of-us-retail-sales-hits-record-according-to-census.html
- 5census.gov/retail/index.html
- 10census.gov/naics/?input=323&year=2022
- 15census.gov/naics/?input=322
- 6fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/packaging-market-103119
- 7imarcgroup.com/commercial-printing-market
- 8precedenceresearch.com/label-printing-market
- 9marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/packaging-services-market-257.html
- 11fao.org/faostat/en/
- 12risi.com/risi/resources/statistics/
- 13inkworld.com/technology/article/33029676/us-printing-industry-sales-decline-5-2-in-2023
- 18inkworld.com/news/offset-rework-cost-color-management-8-12
- 14globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/05/07/2865664/0/en/Flexographic-Packaging-Printing-Market-Size-Will-Reach-11-3-Billion-by-2032.html
- 16lomond.com/blog/led-uv-advantages-energy-consumption/
- 17growingbusiness.com/print-operations-cost-breakdown-labor
- 19bls.gov/ppi/
- 20bls.gov/oes/
- 21gs1.org/standards/barcodes/overview/quality
- 22sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165168704001606
- 23unece.org/sites/default/files/2023-04/printing-efficiency-report.pdf
- 25fespa.com/article/eco-solvent-bio-ink-adoption-2023-26/
- 26grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/digital-proofing-market
- 28supplychainbrain.com/articles/2024-online-ordering-portals-print-industry-survey.pdf
- 29decisionmarketing.com/resources/print-personalization-statistics/
- 30marketingcharts.com/advertising/63-of-marketers-say-data-driven-targeting-improves-roi-49216
- 32marketingcharts.com/technology-2/mobile-marketing/64-of-marketers-say-they-use-qr-codes-then-thing-theyre-using-52053
- 33adweek.com/creativity/survey-46-of-consumers-more-likely-to-respond-to-marketing-with-paper-call-to-action/