The Future of Digital vs. Offset Printing to 2029

• Demand for offset litho has fallen in value by 2.5% CAGR from $354.4 billion in 2019. This trend is forecast to continue, and demand for offset litho will decline to $307.9 billion in 2029 
• Digital printing has grown rapidly in value by 3.4% CAGR to $165.5 billion in 2024 and is forecast to grow by a further 4.8% CAGR across 2024–29.  

The decline in offset litho comes from reduced demand for publication print, with magazines and newspapers strongly affected by the transition to digital communication. This is partially compensated for by strong growth in sheetfed offset litho for packaging. Digital printing is taking an increasing share of production volumes in some segments, including books and advertising. There is strong growth seen in flexo and gravure.   

This report examines how competing printing technologies contend for market share. While printing shorter runs is cheaper for digital printers, longer runs are more economical for offset presses; turnaround time is quicker for digital printing, while offset presses take much longer to complete jobs. Both analogue and digital technologies continue to improve in terms of automation and productivity.  

Key Questions

• Which market segments are best positioned to transition from analogue to digital printing over the next five years? 
• How will the latest innovations in inkjet technology improve quality and press speed, threatening to further erode the market for analogue print? 
• What innovations are offset press OEMs adopting, in order to resist the challenge from digital? 
• How will changes in print ordering, buying, and design accelerate the adoption of digital print across the next five years?    

This report is essential to:

• Raw materials suppliers including inks and consumables  
• Equipment and machinery suppliers  
• Packaging converters, printers, print consultants and analysts.

About the author

Jon Harper Smith has over 15 years’ experience in the printing industry through his time working with Fujifilm and has extensive experience of industrial and package printing businesses with particular focus on industrial inkjet and flexo processes. He has a proven ability to develop complex cross border businesses involving the provision of highly technical products that meet strict end user specifications. 

Executive summary
Introduction and methodology 

• Introduction 
• Report objectives 
• Methodology 
• Scope and definitions 
  • List of definitions 
  • Abbreviations and glossary of terms 
• Exchange rates 

Market overview 

• Overview 
• Demand for print 
  • Print product categories 
    • Publication print 
    • Graphic print 
    • Packaging & label print 
• Selling prices of digital and analogue print 
• Digital is different 
• The press is not enough 

Cutting-edge technology developments 

• Overview 
• Print quality 
• Enabling technologies 
  • Workflow 
• Digital printing 
  • Electrophotography 
  • Inkjet 
    • Inkjet head developments 
    • Inkjet ink and fluid developments 
      • Water-based inks 
      • UV and radiation cured inks 
      • Hybrid UV inkjet inks 
      • Solvent based inks 
    • High-speed inkjet presses 
    • Narrow-web 
    • Wide-format inkjet printing 
  • High-speed flatbed printers 
  • Sheetfed inkjet presses 
• Offset lithography 
  • Sheetfed offset 
  • Heatset web offset 
  • Coldset web offset 
  • Printing plates 
• Flexography 
  • Flexo prepress and plates 
    • Flexo plate technology 
  • Plate mounting 
  • Anilox roller 
  • Flexo inks 
  • Flexo presses 
• Gravure printing 
• Run length and print cost developments 
  • Print cost trends 
  • Consumables 
  • Finishing and embellishment

Analogue vs digital print marketing markets 

• Print process trends 
  • Analogue print 
    • Sheetfed offset litho 
    • Heatset web offset litho 
    • Coldset web offset litho 
    • Gravure 
    • Flexo 
    • Other analogue printing processes 
  • Digital print 
    • Electrophotography 
    • Inkjet 
• Product printing trends 
  • Books 
  • Magazines 
  • Newspapers 
  • Catalogues 
  • Directories 
  • Advertising print 
  • Commercial print 
  • Transactional print 
  • Security print 
  • Labels 
  • Packaging

Opportunities and future outlook 

• Overview 
• Cost reduction/adding value 
• How printers choose processes 
• Hybridisation 
• Industry structure: supply side 
  • Ink model 
  • Analogue-digital technology collaboration 
  • SWOT and PESTER analyses of print industry 
  • SWOT analysis 
  • PESTER analysis for the printing industry 
    • Political 
    • Economic 
    • Social 
    • Technological 
    • Environmental 
    • Regulatory/legal 
• Final summary 

List of figures

• Litho, other analogue and digital print market development 2019–29, in value and volume terms (% share by value, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; % share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent) 
• Global digital printing penetration by product category, 2019–29, in value and volume terms (% share by value, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; % share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent) 
• Analogue and digital print processes: regional print market by value, 2017 and 2027 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates) 
• Global inkjet market growth by end application, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)   
• Global printing output by product category, 2019–29 (% share by value, constant 2023 $ prices & exchange rates)
• Global printing output by product category, 2019–29 (% share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent)
• Global printing output by print process, 2019–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Global printing output by print process, 2019–29 (billion A4 prints or equivalent)
• Digital penetration into print applications by category, 2019–29 (% share by value, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Digital penetration into print applications by category, 2019–29 (% share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent)
• Global publication printing output by print process, 2019–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Global publication printing output by print process, 2019–29 (trillion A4 prints or equivalent)
• Global graphic printing output by print process, 2024–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Global graphic printing output by print process, 2024–29 (trillion A4 prints or equivalent)
• Global package & label printing output by print process, 2019–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Global package & label printing output by print process, 2019–29 (trillion A4 prints or equivalent)
• Average global prices per thousand A4 prints by print process, 2019–29 ($, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Fuel cost indices for electricity and gas in the UK
• Producer Price Index: Pulp, Paper & Allied Products, Index 1982=100
• Integrated end-to-end print workflow in 2024
• Fujifilm Revoria B2 GC12500
• Epson D3000 printhead
• Canon printhead array in LS2000 label printer
• Development trends in inkjet printhead development
• AV Flexologic RoboCELL automated flexo prepress
• Global printing output by print process, 2019–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Global printing output by print process, 2019–29 (billion A4 prints or equivalent)
• Books: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Books: global printing output by process, 2024–29 (billion A4 prints)
• Magazines: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Magazines: global printing output by process, 2024–29 (billion A4 prints)
• Newspapers: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Newspapers: global printing output by process, 2024–29 (billion A4 prints)
• Catalogues: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Catalogues: global printing output by process, 2024–29 (billion A4 prints)
• Directories: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Directories: global printing output by process, 2024–29 (billion A4 prints)
• Advertising print: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Advertising print: global printing output by process, 2024–29 (billion A4 prints)
• Commercial print: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Commercial print: global printing output by process, 2024–29 (billion A4 prints)
• Transactional print: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Transactional print: global printing output by process, 2024–29 (billion A4 prints)
• Security print: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Security print: global printing output by process, 2024–29 (billion A4 prints)
• Labels: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Labels: global printing output by process, 2024–29 (billion A4 prints)
• Packaging: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Packaging: global printing output by process, 2024–29 (billion A4 prints)

List of tables

• Global printing output by print process, 2019–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; billion A4 prints) 
• Timeline for developments in printing   
• Key countries’ exchange rates to the US dollar, 2019-29
• Global printing output pricing trends by process, 2019-29 ($ per ‘000 A4s or equivalent, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• Market drivers affecting demand for offset and digital print 2024–29
• Global printing output by print process, 2019–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; billion A4 prints)
• Global print market shares by print process, 2019–29 (% share by value, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; % share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent)
• Global publication printing output by print process, 2019–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; billion A4 prints)
• Global graphic printing output by print process, 2019–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; billion A4 prints)
• Global package & label printing output by print process, 2019–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; billion A4 prints)
• Average global prices per thousand A4 prints by print process, 2019–29 ($, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates)
• SWOT analysis for the digital print supply chain
• SWOT analysis for the analogue print supply chain
• The evolution of (industrial) revolutions
• Long-term prospects for electrophotography printing, 2024–29
• High-performance inkjet printheads in 2024
• High-speed continuous-feed single-pass inkjet presses
• Narrow-web inkjet presses
• Sheetfed inkjet presses
• Summary timeline of litho print developments, 2024–29
• Summary timeline of flexo developments, 2024–29
• Trends in printing costs 2023-2024
• Global printing output by print process, 2019–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; billion A4 prints)
• Top-line global printing market shares by print process, 2019–29 (% share by value, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; % share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent)
• Global printing output shares by print process, 2019–29 (% share by value, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; % share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent)
• Global analogue printing output by region, 2019–29 ($ billion, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; billion A4 prints)
• Global digital printing output by region, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Analogue print: global printing output by product type, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Analogue print: global printing output by region, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Sheetfed offset litho: global printing output by product type, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Sheetfed offset litho: global printing output by region, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Heatset web offset litho: global printing output by product type, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Heatset web offset litho: global printing output by region, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Coldset web offset litho: global printing output by product type, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Coldset web offset litho: global printing output by region, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Gravure: global printing output by product type, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Gravure: global printing output by region, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Flexo: global printing output by product type, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Flexo: global printing output by region, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Other analogue printing processes: global printing output by product type, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Other analogue printing processes: global printing output by region, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Global digital printing output by product type, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Global digital printing output by region, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Electrophotography: global printing output by product type, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Electrophotography: global printing output by region, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Inkjet: global printing output by product type, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Inkjet: global printing output by region, 2019–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Books: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Books: shares of global printing output by print process, 2024–29 (% share by value, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; % share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent)
• Books: Western European printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Books: North American printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Books: Asian printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Magazines: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Magazines: shares of global printing output by print process, 2024–29 (% share by value, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; % share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent)
• Magazines: Western European printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Magazines: North American printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Magazines: Asian printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Newspapers: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Newspapers: shares of global printing output by print process, 2024–29 (% share by value, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; % share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent)
• Newspapers: Western European printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Newspapers: North American printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Newspapers: Asian printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Catalogues: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Catalogues: shares of global printing output by print process, 2024–29 (% share by value, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; % share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent)
• Catalogues: Western European printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Catalogues: North American printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Catalogues: Asian printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Directories: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Directories: shares of global printing output by print process, 2024–29 (% share by value, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; % share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent)
• Directories: Western European printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Directories: North American printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Directories: Asian printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Advertising print: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Advertising print: shares of global printing output by print process, 2024–29 (% share by value, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; % share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent)
• Advertising print: Western European printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Advertising print: North American printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Advertising print: Asian printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Commercial print: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Commercial print: shares of global printing output by print process, 2024–29 (% share by value, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; % share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent)
• Commercial print: Western European printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Commercial print: North American printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Commercial print: Asian printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Transactional print: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Transactional print: shares of global printing output by print process, 2024–29 (% share by value, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; % share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent)
• Transactional print: Western European printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Transactional print: North American printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Transactional print: Asian printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Security print: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Security print: shares of global printing output by print process, 2024–29 (% share by value, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; % share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent)
• Security print: Western European printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Security print: North American printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Security print: Asian printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Labels: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Labels: shares of global printing output by print process, 2024–29 (% share by value, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; % share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent)
• Labels: Western European printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Labels: North American printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Labels: Asian printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Packaging: global printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Packaging: shares of global printing output by print process, 2024–29 (% share by value, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; % share by volume, A4 prints or equivalent)
• Packaging: Western European printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Packaging: North American printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• Packaging: Asian printing output by process, 2024–29 ($ million, constant 2023 prices & exchange rates; million A4 prints)
• SWOT analysis for the digital print supply chain
• SWOT analysis for the analogue print supply chain