IBISWorld Platform
Answer any industry question in minutes with our entire database at your fingertips.
Printing in the UK Industry Data and Analysis
The popularity of digital alternatives to printed materials has been holding the Printing industry back over the five years through 2025-26. Demand for printed materials has fallen as consumers and businesses have gradually transitioned towards online trading. Demand has also been edging downwards due to the growing popularity of reading online and through other electronic alternatives like smartphones and tablets. Revenue is anticipated to tumble at a compound annual rate of 1.9% over the five years through 2025-26 to £8.6 billion, including a projected 2.1% decline in 2025-26, when the average profit margin will inch up to 5.6%. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) data, newspaper circulation of most major publications, like The Sun, The Times and The Guardian, fell by almost 50% during this period, slashing printing demand for these products. The same body reported that the Sunday People saw its average weekly print decline by 26.4% in November 2025, with Sunday Express (22.5%), Sunday Mail (20.4%) and Sunday Mirror (22.7%) all down double digits in the same month, reducing newspaper printing services.
Access this data your way
The Printing in the UK Industry analysis is available in multiple formats to fit seamlessly into your workflow.
API Data Delivery
Feed trusted, human-driven industry intelligence straight into your platform.
Integrations
Streamline your workflow with IBISWorld’s intelligence built into your toolkit.
What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Printing industry in the United Kingdom includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2016-2031. The most recent publication was released February 2026.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Printing industry in the United Kingdom operates under the SIC industry code C18.120. Companies in this industry print books, magazines, annual reports, brochures, labels, tags, posters, diaries, calendars, maps, stamps, postcards and greeting cards, security papers, cheques, banknotes and other products. The industry also includes the printing of newspapers and periodicals that appear less than four times a week. Related terms covered in the Printing industry in the United Kingdom include digital printing, one-piece mailer, short-run printing and gravure.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Printing industry in the United Kingdom include Trade advertising material and catalogues, Newspapers, magazines, journals and periodicals and Books, brochures and leaflets.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Printing industry in the United Kingdom include Walstead Group Ltd, DS Smith Ltd and Clays Ltd.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Printing industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed product and service segmentation, analysis of major markets and international trade data for the for the Printing industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Printing industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Printing industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Printing industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Printing industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Printing industry in the United Kingdom. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Printing industry in the United Kingdom.
Trusted by industry professionals
More than 6,000 businesses use IBISWorld to shape local and global economies
We were able to supplement our reports with IBISWorld’s information from both a qualitative and quantitative standpoint. All of our reporting now features some level of IBISWorld integration.
IBISWorld delivers the crisp business knowledge we need to drive our business. Whether it be serving up our major clients, winning new business or educating on industry issues, IBISWorld brings real value.
IBISWorld has revolutionised business information — which has proved commercially invaluable to exporters, investors and public policy professionals in Australia and overseas.
When you’re able to speak to clients and be knowledgeable about what they do and the state that they operate in, they’re going to trust you a lot more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Printing industry in the United Kingdom in 2026?
The market size of the Printing industry in the United Kingdom is £8.6bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Printing industry in the United Kingdom in 2026?
There are 7,779 businesses in the Printing industry in the United Kingdom, which has declined at a CAGR of 2.0 % between 2021 and 2026.
How may import tariffs affect the Printing industry in the United Kingdom?
The Printing industry in the United Kingdom is likely to be impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a moderate share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Printing industry in the United Kingdom?
The Printing industry in the United Kingdom is likely to be significantly impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a high share of industry revenue.
Has the Printing industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Printing industry in the United Kingdom has been declining at a CAGR of 1.9 % between 2021 and 2026.
What is the forecast growth of the Printing industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Printing industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Printing industry in the United Kingdom?
The biggest companies operating in the Printing industry in the United Kingdom are Walstead Group Ltd, DS Smith Ltd and Clays Ltd
What does the Printing industry in the United Kingdom include?
Trade advertising material and catalogues and Books, brochures and leaflets are part of the Printing industry in the United Kingdom.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Printing industry in the United Kingdom?
The company holding the most market share in the Printing industry in the United Kingdom is Walstead Group Ltd.
How competitive is the Printing industry in the United Kingdom?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Printing industry in the United Kingdom.
Cut through the noise with intelligence you can trust
