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Printing Outlook is the BPIF's quarterly printing industry trends survey, compiled primarily from an online survey of BPIF members. It covers topics such as: your top business concerns, orders, output, price levels, capacity, costs, margins, investment, pay reviews, productivity, late payment and payment terms, public sector procurement, Web-to-print and paper & board prices and supply.
We are very pleased to continue our partnership with Canon, we'd like to thank Canon for their support - this will ensure all survey respondents receive a printed copy of Printing Outlook.
As well as reporting on the BPIF's latest quarterly survey of trends in the printing industry, Printing Outlook now incorporates:
- UK headline economic data
- CBI forecasts and assessment
- Paper and board consumption statistics from the Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) and sector insight from EMGE (paper industry consultants)
- Printing Ink sales volumes and values from the British Coatings Federation (BCF)
- Energy sector commentary from Schneider Electric
- Insolvency statistics for the printing sector
- Advertising sector data and analysis from the Advertising Association / Warc Expenditure Report and the IPA Bellwether Report
Printing Outlook is widely reported in the trade press, and feeds into the Bank of England and their provision of data to the Monetary Policy Committee. It is required reading for many suppliers to and investors in the industry, and is used by the BPIF to help represent the interests of our industry to other trade associations, the CBI, Government and the European and worldwide printing industries.
BPIF members can download the full report below; Printing Outlook press releases are available here.
POSITIVE Q4 OUTPUT AND ORDERS GROWTH IN-LINE WITH FORECAST - BUT A NOSEDIVE IN CONFIDENCE HAS DEPRESSED EXPECTATIONS FOR Q1
Output and orders in Q4 more-or-less performed as forecast as the UK's printing and printed packaging industry continued its path of steady, but subdued, growth in 2024 - according to the latest BPIF Printing Outlook survey.
As reported last quarter, the output, orders and confidence data reported for Q3 was the most positive for two years, in Q4 output and order growth continues pretty much as forecast. However, business confidence slipped in Q4 and subsequently order and output expectations for Q1 have flatlined; and confidence into Q1 has nosedived.
Industry performance had been slowly but steadily improving throughout 2024 - what has changed? Well, the responding comments to the Printing Outlook survey suggest that the negative economic sentiment coming from Government, the additional employment costs, and mounting regulations and administrative burdens on businesses have all played a part. Wage pressure has become the most serious business concern, demand is being held back, competition remains fierce, and many companies cannot currently afford to make the investments they seek.
The BPIF Printing Outlook Q1 2025 report features sections on industry turnover, business concerns, investment, costs, pay reviews, and much more.
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BPIF Printing Outlook Q1 2025
Positive Q4 output and orders growth in-line with forecast - but a nosedive in confidence has depressed expectations for Q1.
BPIF Printing Outlook Q4 2024
Growth in output and orders ramped up in Q3 alongside boost in confidence - stronger growth forecast to hold in Q4.
BPIF Printing Outlook Q3 2024
Output and order growth growth slow and steady in Q2 as confidence remained in the doldrums - expectations remain positive for a stronger pick-up in Q3.
BPIF Printing Outlook Q2 2024
Output and orfer growth maintained in Q1 - confidence boost for Q2 as growth expectations rise.
BPIF Printing Outlook Q1 2024
Slight recovery in output and orders falls short of expectations in Q4 - confidence concerns mount in 2024.
BPIF Printing Outlook Q4 2023
Output and orders remained subdued in Q3 - but improved confidence stimulates better expectations to see out 2023.
BPIF Printing Outlook Q3 2023
Print industry output, orders and confidence all flatlined in Q2 - only marginal improvement forecast for Q3 despite continued cost stabilisation.
BPIF Printing Outlook Q2 2023
UK printing industry contracted in Q1 as output and order levels fell - bounceback in confidence and performance expected during Q2 as cost pressures top out.
BPIF Printing Outlook Q1 2023
UK printing subdued in Q4 as output and orders underperform - confidence is depressed but end to cost crisis ahead.
