UK stationery market worth $2.7 billion by 2021

Constant design innovations, expanding product mix and utility are keys to sales increase in the coming years.

UK's stationery sector is anticipated to achieve a CAGR of 2.4 percent in the next years, securing a value of £2.1 billion or $2.7 billion by 2021. For the past five years the industry has enjoyed consistent YoY growth with a noticeable rise in the demand for drawing and writing instruments and accessories, the categories nabbing 5.9 and 4.8 percent, respectively, of the market share. Sub-categories such as paper and notepad, on the other hand, have experienced a slowdown due to digitization and wide use of more electronic options.

Manufacturers are investing in further design innovations and expanding product range to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving digital age. Aside from these, sales are driven by stationery products' suitability as gifts, and necessity during special occasions such as Christmas, birthdays and first day of school.

In terms of distribution, buyers and suppliers alike are more inclined to purchase online due to easy access and convenience on the part of customers, and a fair chance for market penetration for manufacturers.

As regards demographics, reports show that 57.4 percent of buyers of stationery items are women, followed closely by men at 42.6 percent.