Despite the ongoing rise of digital platforms, new research shows that consumers continue to place high value on print media, particularly when it comes to comprehension, trust, and learning. The latest Two Sides Trend Tracker 2025 survey, one of the print and paper industry’s largest and most comprehensive studies, reveals a consistent and resilient appreciation for print in everyday life.
The Covid-19 pandemic brought major disruption to print media, reshaping how consumers interacted with news and printed content. Whilst the digital world may offer convenience, the survey highlights that the preference for reading in print has recovered since the pandemic and is the preferred format for books, magazines, and important documents.
In fact, 65% of European consumers prefer printed books, recovering from 53% in 2021. Magazines in print 48%, up from 35% in 2021 and printed product catalogs 33%, up from 21%.
Print is still preferred where it matters most. When it comes to essential communications like medical information, financial statements, and legal documents, consumers consistently choose print over digital for its security, clarity, reliability, and permanence:
47% prefer medical leaflets and instructions in print; 27% still favor receiving printed bills and statements; 36% prefer printed information from doctors and hospitals; and 76% want the right to choose and not be pushed down a digital only route.
“This year’s findings reflect an improved stable consumer mindset. While digital tools are valuable, people increasingly recognize the unique strengths of print, especially where comprehension, memory, and trust are critical.” Says Jonathan Tame, managing director of Two Sides Europe.
Print’s role in learning and understanding
Beyond everyday documents, print continues to play a vital role in education and news consumption. The survey found that 58% believe students learn better using printed materials than digital; 45% say they understand news better in print than online; 49% are concerned about the loss of printed newspapers.
In an age of constant screen time, consumers are showing a growing desire to unplug and reconnect with the tangible. Print offers a physical experience that digital simply can’t replicate – no pop-ups, no distractions, just a more immersive and calming way to consume information.
Print media is not only relevant, it is sustainable. Printed books, newspapers, magazines, advertising mail and wider literature is recyclable, biodegradable and is made from natural and sustainable raw materials. There is a misconception about paper’s environmental footprint compared to digital where, too often, the impacts of the digital alternative are completely overlooked.
Tame continues, “The Two Sides Trend Tracker 2025 makes one thing clear: while technology continues to evolve, print remains a trusted, valued, and essential part of modern life. From learning and literacy to legal peace of mind, paper still delivers where it matters most.”
The results from the Two Sides Trend Tracker 2025 survey are quite revealing. While digital is growing, it’s clear that printed materials, whether for books or packaging, still provide something irreplaceable—tactile engagement. Does anyone else see print’s value expanding in new ways, like sustainability or local production?