Why the sustainable power of print outperforms digital communication

In almost every scenario, print demonstrated a substantially lower carbon emissions potential than digital media.

For print the study considered the entire lifecycle – from forestry management and papermaking through to printing, energy consumption, consumables, logistics and delivery to the point of readership.

For digital media, the assessment included the manufacture of computers and smartphones, the ongoing operation of data centres storing the files, and the energy-intensive networks required to deliver them.

The design phase was excluded, as it is effectively identical for both channels.

For a single printed advertisement appearing as one page within a 24-page brochure and achieving one million impressions, the total carbon footprint was calculated at 642kg CO₂e – around five times lower than the 3,360kg CO₂e generated by the PDF alternative.

Beyond emissions, print also delivered stronger engagement. Each page of the printed brochure attracted an average of 10 seconds of reader attention, compared with just 2.5 seconds per page on a screen.

These findings echo Royal Mail’s MarketReach research that reported two-thirds of consumers are more likely to open a letter than an email, and 39% said letters feel more personalised to them and their needs than bulk email message.

This higher engagement strengthens the sustainability argument for print by improving the effectiveness of each impression.

Advances in digital production press technology, particularly in energy efficiency, automation and substrate flexibility, further reinforce this position.