30 Top Takeaways From The Power Of Print 2025

In early November, more than 200 industry leaders gathered in Stationers’ Hall in London for the 2025 Two Sides Power of Print conference.

Now 15 years old, the event has built up a reputation for giving its attendees a compelling day of insight and information, bringing them up to speed with the latest opinions and data on print, packaging, marketing and sustainability.

With 12 speakers lined up, each one an expert in their field, there was an upbeat atmosphere and a real sense of optimism for print and its role in the circular economy, with plenty of facts, stats and memorable quotes for the delegates to take back to their homes and offices. Here are just a few:

01. The UK printing industry remains economically significant, generating £13.7bn in turnover, £5.9bn in GVA (gross value added) and supporting around 93,000 jobs across 6,800 businesses.

02. 75% of print companies in the UK are measuring their carbon emissions while 80% are taking action to reduce them.

03. Packaging, labels and cartons continue to drive growth, underpinning the overall print industry turnover.

04. “Overall print sector confidence improved strongly in Q3 and Q4, marking a notable turnaround after a period of uncertainty.” Charles Jarrold, CEO of the BPIF

05. 89% of consumers trust word-of-mouth, making consumers five times more likely to make a purchase and spend 16% more.

06. “Mail plus word-of-mouth gives you an advocacy-driven sales channel.” Tom Ridges, Founder of Herdify

07. 80% of people say charities have a responsibility to be environmentally sustainable, while 40% say they would be more likely to donate to a charity if they heard it invested funds into operating more sustainably.

08. Trust is a commercial growth driver, with 74% of consumers taking commercially impactful action when they trust a brand.

09. Six out of ten people say that trust is an important factor when choosing a brand or organisation.

10. Mail is the most trusted communications channel, outperforming all digital and broadcast media in trust impact.

11. Direct mail has more than twice the trust impact of the next closest channel, making it uniquely powerful in brand-building communications.

12. Consumers welcome mail, with 75% frequently looking at what they receive and over half saying they enjoy receiving it.

13. Vinyl record sales have increased by 650% in 10 years while print books now make up 89% of all UK sales.

14. “There is a real opportunity with print for publishers to be bold.” Jon Bickley, CEO of Anthem Publishing

15. While 45% of people regard smell as ‘very important’, Fortune 500 companies spend just 1.9% of their annual marketing budget on materials that engage that sense.

16. Physical materials make an emotional connection with people, offering a way to influence brand choice.

17. Scented materials at the point-of-sale can result in a 35% sales uplift and 28% brand switch.

18. “Print is tactile, print is emotive, print can evoke deep feelings.” Clive Booth, photographer and Canon Europe ambassador

19. Print linked to digital enables a physical item to become a unique, interactive touchpoint, able to offer data capture, sustainability and consumer engagement.

20. Connected print delivers contextual storytelling and rewards to enhance the existing print offering.

21. 98% of brands will be adopting GS1-compliant QR codes by the end of 2026, with 45% already investing in compliant technology solutions.

22. “The five ‘C’s when it comes to recycling are context, condition, contamination, communication and consistency.” Roger Wright, Waste Strategy & Packaging Manager at Biffa

23. “The future of packaging is increased regulation, with a need to renew, reuse and rationalise.” Roger Wright, Waste Strategy & Packaging Manager at Biffa

24. Trust is print’s greatest advantage. In a world of digital mistrust, print is tangible and permanent.

25. The long heritage of print is a foundation for authentic sustainability.

26. “The future of print is resilient, authentic and circular.” Trewin Restorick, Sizzle

27. 65% of European consumers prefer to read books in print.

28. 58% of European consumers think that children and students learn more when reading printed books and course materials rather than digital.

29. Love Paper messages reach more than 230 million European consumers every year, both online and in print.

30. Love Paper Week returns for its second year in 2026, 2-6 February.

To listen to the 2025 Power of Print presentations, go here!