FESPA launches the 2026 Print Census covering e-commerce and skills gaps, while 2025 results show slow adoption of AI, automation, and sustainability
FESPA has officially launched the 2026 edition of its Print Census, a global research initiative conducted in partnership with Keypoint Intelligence to collect and share market intelligence for the print and signage industries. Running twice a year, the biannual census aims to gather actionable, data-driven insights to help print service providers (PSPs) navigate market changes and identify new commercial opportunities.
The newly launched 2026 survey will focus on three areas: e-commerce and web-to-print; workforce and skills gaps; and growth applications, pricing pressures, and profitability. Industry professionals worldwide are encouraged to participate to help benchmark these trends.
Alongside the launch, FESPA has released the key findings from its late 2025 Print Census, which gathered insights from 774 businesses across 89 countries. The 2025 survey, which focused on automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and sustainability, revealed a notable disconnect between the advanced solutions developed by industry manufacturers and the actual rate of adoption on the print room floor.
A primary factor slowing this transition is the demographic makeup of the market. According to the data, 75% of print businesses employ fewer than 50 people, with nearly half of respondents employing 10 or fewer. These smaller operations frequently lack the capital, time, and in-house expertise required to implement long-term technological transformations, choosing instead to focus resources on daily production pressures.
This resource limitation was evident across all three of the 2025 survey areas:
Automation: Although recognized as a key tool to combat labor shortages and rising costs, nearly half of the surveyed PSPs reported using no automation tools at all. Where automation is present, it remains limited to basic prepress and web-to-print functions rather than integrated production workflows.
Artificial Intelligence: Around 40% of PSPs do not use AI in any capacity. Current adoption is largely restricted to basic, siloed tasks such as design support and color management, with a lack of clear starting points and internal expertise cited as major barriers to wider implementation.
Sustainability: While 92% of respondents stated that environmental responsibility is important, only 40% have made it a core strategic priority. High material costs and low consumer demand continue to limit the commercial incentive to invest in green options, particularly for smaller firms with restricted purchasing power.
Despite these challenges, FESPA highlights that the gaps between supplier innovation and print room adoption represent significant opportunities. The findings suggest a growing demand for modular, accessible, and lower-cost entry points that can help smaller businesses transition to automated and sustainable workflows. Additionally, increasing pressure from international supply chains, procurement standards, and environmental regulations means that structured sustainability practices are likely to become mandatory for commercial survival.
Full members of FESPA national Associations or FESPA Direct can access the complete 2025 Print Census report on the FESPA website, which provides detailed regional breakdowns and benchmarking tools.