Print Is Everywhere – Reflections on International Print Day

If you were to ask someone, “what pops into your mind when you think about “print”?”, most people will say newspapers and magazines.

Maybe some will say direct mail advertising, folders, leaflets, or the occasional odd-shaped envelope.

Others will immediately have their Epson or Brother inkjet printer in mind. Rarely does anyone mention labels and packaging. And almost never do people think of the vast world of industrial print—the wayfinding panels in a railway station, the wide format billboards in that same station or the markings on your home appliances, such as your stove or microwave. Or the wood pattern in the laminate flooring in your living room. Must I continue?

I cannot imagine a world without print. Can you?

Here’s a fact that might surprise you: according to Smithers, 60% of all printed matter is packaging. That’s huge—but when you think about it, it makes sense. Packaging is everywhere. From the cereal box you open in the morning to the tea bag you dip at 11 a.m., the sandwich you grab for lunch, the cookies you snack on in the afternoon, and all the packaging you use to prepare dinner for your family—print is part of every step.

Labels and packaging are indispensable in the supply chain of consumer products, from the factory floor to your fridge. For consumer goods, packaging print is highly visible. It seduces, informs, and differentiates. It’s the silent salesperson on the shelf.

But the sheer volume of printed matter—produced using countless printing technologies on an endless variety of substrates—is mind-boggling.

In the U.S., supermarkets carried on average about 31,795 items in store in 2024 (The Food Industry Association). In Europe, while exact SKU-figures vary by retailer and country, industry reports show that supermarkets carry millions of SKUs across their portfolios and large-format chains (including hypermarkets) can carry significantly more products (McKinsey & Company).

Contrast that with hard discounters in Europe, where SKU counts are dramatically lower—anywhere between 1,200 and 2,000 unique products.

But here’s the kicker: every one of those primary packages is printed using a wide variety of processes on an even wider range of substrates. And that’s just the start. Each primary package requires secondary and tertiary packaging for logistics and transportation—each with its own print requirements. Think of labels with identification codes, QR codes for tracking and tracing, compliance markings, and more.

Add it all up, and you end up with a plethora of printed matter. Print is truly all around us.

Maybe what I’m doing here is declaring my love for print. And that’s exactly what International Print Day, celebrated on October 9th, is all about. Its mission? Help Print Trend the Planet.

International Print Day celebrates the printing industry as “the powerful intersection of technology, collaboration, and creativity.” It’s a global call to action for printers and their customers to embrace smart solutions that make print more effective, efficient, and meaningful.

The theme #PrintSmart highlights innovations that help print providers work faster, reduce waste, personalize at scale, and deliver measurable results. It’s also about empowering print customers—marketers, designers, educators, and brands—to achieve better outcomes by collaborating with knowledgeable partners who understand how to use print strategically.

Whether it’s:

• Automation and AI to streamline workflows
• Data-driven personalization to deliver relevant messages at scale
• Sustainable practices to minimize environmental impact
• Smarter customer engagement to make print more meaningful

#PrintSmart is about the tools and teamwork shaping the future of print.

Print isn’t just ink on paper. It’s a blend of creativity and technology, of tradition and innovation. It’s everywhere—on the products we buy, the signs that guide us, the labels that keep supply chains moving. And although I stumbled upon International Print Day almost by accident, it feels like a perfect fit for someone who’s spent a lifetime in this industry.

So next time someone asks you what comes to mind when you think of print, go beyond newspapers and magazines. Think of the cereal box on your breakfast table. The label on your car’s engine. The signage that guides you through a busy airport. Print is everywhere. And it’s here to stay.

 

Sources: 

• Smithers Forecasts Global Printing Market to Reach $874 Billion in 2024 (Flexographic Technical Association, 2025).  https://www.flexography.org/industry-news/smithers-forecasts-global-printing-market-to-reach-874-billion-in-2024/ 

• The Future of Package Printing to 2029 (Smithers, 2024).  https://www.smithers.com/services/market-reports/printing/the-future-of-package-printing-to-2029 

• The State of Grocery Retail Europe 2025 (McKinsey & Company, 2025).  https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/state-of-grocery-europe-report 

• The Food Industry Association. Food Industry Facts (Accessed 2025). https://www.fmi.org/our-research/food-industry-facts