Paper and board packaging production up, newsprint down - Cepi presents preliminary statistics for 2024.

The Confederation of the European Paper Industry (CEPI) has published preliminary paper industry statistics for 2024. The latest figures herald a thaw - after years of post-pandemic declines, we have finally seen increases, and in almost all paper and board categories. However, the entire industry faces entirely new challenges.

Let's start with the key statistics for the packaging and recycling industries. As Cepi's preliminary statistics show, up to 63% of the paper and board produced in 2024 was packaging paper. This sum consists of:

• corrugated cardboard - 41.2%,
• packaging papers - 5.5%.
• other packaging papers - 16.3%,

Moreover, compared to 2023 Packaging paper production volumes increased by an average of 6.5%. The largest increases (14.4%) were recorded in the segment of packaging papers used in the manufacture of paper bags. In second place (9.9%) were cardboard and other packaging boards used for retail packaging. Corrugated board (up 4.3%) used primarily for the production of bulk and transport packaging completed the podium.

Increases in paper packaging production volumes were followed by increased use of recycled paper. In year-on-year terms, it amounted to 4,1%.

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As reported in Cepi's preliminary report, in 2024 the member countries recorded a 5.2% increase in paper and board production, reaching 77.8 million tonnes. The industry also grew globally over the same period, with global paper and board production increasing by 3.6% by 2023.

The increase in paper production in the Cepi States was also accompanied by a substantial 7.5% increase in consumption of paper and paper products. Interestingly, almost all paper categories grew except newsprint, which saw a 1.3% decline in 2024, mechanical coated paper (down 2.1%) and uncoated paper (down 3%).

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Jori Ringman, CEO of Cepi, said:

Recently, we have seen positive signs of growth in the pulp and paper sector. Whether this growth can be sustained depends partly on what the EU institutions do so that we can compete on a level playing field not only with other pulp and paper producers in the world, but also with fossil-based industries.

European paper and board packaging companies therefore face 2 huge challenges: remaining competitive against global leaders from outside the EU and meeting the increasingly high expectations of consumers, who are looking closely not only at recyclability but also at packaging sizes.

Mondi's latest survey shows that simply protecting the product is no longer enough, with 78% respondents indicating that the recyclability of shipping packaging is either important or very important to them. 80% Researcher wants environmentally friendly packaging, while the 71% prefers paper-based raw material packaging. At the same time consumers are not prepared to pay extra for more sustainable packaging - 38% of them puts the matter on a knife edge and will not pay a penny more. 27% may pay more by a token 1%. Interestingly, the boomer generation will be the most likely to pay extra for the green package, with Gen Z resisting the strongest.

Consumers are therefore making demands, but they are also making the boundaries clear - The packaging is supposed to be environmentally friendly, fit properly, easy to open and reclose and free, at least from their perspective. As far as 40% of those surveyed will in future avoid retailers who use excess packaging, and 20% will abandon the purchase due to the lack of sustainable packaging.

Sources:

1. Cepi, Preliminary statistics 2024. European pulp & paper industry, https://www.cepi.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/FINAL-Cepi-Preliminary-Statistics-2024.pdf
2. Mondi Group eCommerce trend report: Sustainability and its impact on packaging and online shopping choices, https://144089501.fs1.hubspotusercontent-eu1.net/hubfs/144089501/GroupeCommerce/MondiGroupeComtrendreport2025.pdf