New international data points to a major shift in how organisations across Europe are operating, with digital workflows rapidly replacing traditional paper-based processes.
The latest figures from the FAO, CEPI and the UNECE/FAO Forest Products Annual Market Review, combined with analysis from Issuu, show a significant year-on-year decline in paper production, consumption and trade across the continent, reflecting a wider digital-first transformation that is now firmly embedded in workplaces.
For businesses in Manchester and across the UK, the trend underlines a long-term structural change. Paper-heavy workflows are being replaced by digital systems that support speed, collaboration and sustainability targets, reshaping how teams work and how organisations manage information in a post-pandemic economy.
A clear downward trend in paper use
According to the data, European paper consumption fell sharply between 2021 and 2023, dropping from 22.1 million tonnes to 18.7 million. Imports and exports across all major continents also declined, reinforcing the shift toward digital alternatives. Europe, traditionally the world’s most paper-intensive region, is now leading this transition.
Graphic paper, which includes printing and writing grades, has seen some of the steepest declines. CEPI attributes this to digital substitution, the growth of online platforms and the continued erosion of print media. For UK businesses, this reflects what many internal teams already experience: less printed documentation, fewer physical forms and a stronger reliance on cloud-based tools.
Hybrid and remote work have only strengthened this movement. Many pandemic-era behaviours, such as electronic signatures, shared digital workspaces and online documentation, have become standard rather than temporary solutions.
Digital workflows are now built into corporate structures
Across both public and private sectors, organisations are embedding digital-first processes directly into their infrastructure. Employee onboarding, compliance, document storage and interdepartmental communication increasingly rely on digital systems rather than printed materials.
Younger, digital-native employees have helped accelerate this transition. Their preference for electronic reading, annotation and filing means businesses are adapting not only to meet operational needs but to align with workforce expectations.
This shift is also being driven by the rise of cloud-based platforms that reduce friction in daily operations. Digital workflows allow teams to collaborate in real time, access documents securely from any location and reduce administrative duplication.
Energy and cost pressures have accelerated the decline
The pulp and paper industry is one of the most energy-intensive manufacturing sectors. The energy crisis of 2022–2023 placed substantial pressure on mills across Europe, contributing to reduced production and temporary shutdowns. This, combined with widespread destocking after the pandemic, created a sharper short-term drop that aligned with longer-term digital adoption.
For businesses, the economics are more straightforward. Printing, storage, distribution and physical archiving all carry significant costs. Digital documentation, by contrast, reduces overheads and helps companies meet ESG obligations, particularly for firms reporting on resource efficiency and carbon reduction.
Digital systems are reshaping workplace culture
Beyond cost and efficiency, digital transformation is influencing how teams structure their working lives. The rise of e-signatures, online collaboration tools, workflow automation platforms and cloud archives means employees spend less time managing paperwork and more time focusing on value-driven tasks.
Public-sector initiatives, such as digital IDs, electronic prescriptions and online administrative systems, further reinforce the cultural shift. These changes normalise digital interactions and weaken the need for printed documentation at scale.
This is reflected in the broader market data. Europe achieved a paper and board recycling rate of over 79% in 2023, yet consumption continues to fall, showing that the move toward digital-first operations is driven by behavioural change rather than recycling performance alone.
A digital-first future is becoming the norm
The press release highlights a comment from Issuu’s brand manager, Maria Teresa Bogliardi, who noted that while not every country will eliminate paper entirely, global consumption is falling as “individuals and businesses embrace digital alternatives.”
Her statement aligns with what many organisations are experiencing: digital systems are no longer an enhancement to old workflows but a replacement for them.
For companies exploring digital publishing, documentation systems or cloud-based collaboration, platforms such as Issuu can offer flexible ways to transition away from traditional paper-dependent processes and support long-term digital strategies.
What this means for Manchester’s business community
Manchester’s fast-growing tech and professional services sectors are well positioned to benefit from these shifts. As digital-first processes become standard across Europe, local businesses can:
- Reduce operational costs by cutting unnecessary printing and storage
- Improve productivity through shared digital workspaces
- Support ESG targets with lower resource consumption
- Strengthen hybrid and remote working practices
- Future-proof administrative and compliance workflows
The decline in European paper consumption is not simply an environmental milestone. It signals a deeper structural transformation in how organisations operate and how employees interact with information.
Digital workflows are becoming the default, and businesses that adapt early are likely to benefit from greater efficiency, stronger resilience and more agile operations in the decade ahead.
