The stationery market - Italy (2024)

1.2 Global market analysis

Stationery items and products are utility items for everyday use in homes, schools, or offices. These items include notebooks, pens, scissors, highlighters, crayons, and colors. At the macro level, the growing number of offices and educational centers globally drives demand for the products. At the micro level, the growing adoption of innovative stationery items positively influences global market trends. The global stationery market size was valued at $***.** billion in **** and is expected to grow to $***.** billion by ****, with a CAGR of *.**%.

Global stationery market value World, ****-****, in billions of dollars (***) Fortune Business Insights

School stationery includes pencil cases, pencils, pens, pencil sharpeners, erasers, highlighters, notebooks, sketch pens, and crayons. They are used by students of all ages to perform basic activities, such as writing, drawing, and creating objects. Some of the materials commonly used to produce stationery items include graphite, paper, wood, metal, and plastic. Currently, they are gaining tremendous popularity throughout Europe due to the easy accessibility of high-quality items that offer durability with multiple price ranges and color combinations.

The size of the European market for school stationery supplies reached $**.* billion in ****. Looking ahead, the market is expected to reach $**.* billion by ****, showing a growth rate(***) of *.* percent ...

1.3 Italian market

Analyzing the retail trade of textbooks, stationery and office supplies, it immediately jumps out that the three regions with the highest concentration of business in this sector are:

Lombardy (***) Campania (***) Latium (***) Macroregion Value in % Northwest **,* Northeast **,* Center **,* South and Islands **,*

To view the value of turnover of enterprises active in the sector, we consider Ateco code **** "Other manufacturing nca"; this includes:

the manufacture of pens and pencils of all types, mechanical or otherwise; the manufacture of pencil leads; the manufacture of date markers, seals or numbering devices, hand-operated printing or label-printing apparatus, hand-operated printers, prepared typewriter ribbons and ink pads; the manufacture of globes. The industry's turnover increased from **** to **** (***) by **.* percent.

Turnover other manufacturing industries nca Italy, ****-****, in billions of euros (***) Istat

1.4 The foreign market

In Italy, the office and school supplies sector has an interesting trade dynamic, characterized by an import volume that exceeds that of exports. During ****, imports declined, probably influenced by restrictions and changes in consumption behavior following the global pandemic. However, in ****, a significant recovery was observed, with the value of imports increasing by ** percent compared to ****.

At the same time, the value of exports also grew, increasing by *.** percent over the period. Despite this increase, it is important to note that, compared to ****, there was a *.* percent decline in exports.

Exports, Imports and Coverage Rate Office and School Items Italy, ****-****, in millions of dollars (***) UNComtrade

The top five countries dependent on exports from Italy of office and school items are: France (***).

Distribution of exports among the top * consumer countries Italy, ****, % UNComtrade As for imports, it can be seen that the top five supplier countries are China (***). Breakdown of imports among the top * supplier countries Italy, ****, % UNComtrade

1.5 Impact of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine

The outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in February **** resulted in, among other things, a general increase in the consumer price index. The stationery sector is not exempt from this increase. Through the analysis of the consumer price index, an increase of **.* points or +**.* percent is noted.

Consumer price index - stationery items Italy, ****-****, base ****=*** (***) Istat

2.1 Demand characteristics

To visualize the extent of demand in stationery and drawing materials, the monthly household expenditure item in the last five years available in the Istat Database (***) is shown. From **** to ****, purchases in the sector increased by **.* percent, which is a positive figure denoting significant significance of the sector.

Expenditure item in stationery and drawing materials Italy, ****-****, in current &euro Istat

2.2 Demand drivers

The trend of online searches related to the keyword "stationery" shows a clear seasonal pattern, showing a significant increase in interest during the September period. This spike correlates closely with the return to school, a time when students, teachers and parents are looking for school supplies and materials needed for the start of the new academic year.

The numbers represent the average search interest relative to the highest point on the graph in relation to the region and period indicated. The closer the value is to ***, the more frequently the term is searched; ** indicates half as many searches.

Interest of online users by keyword "stationery" Italy, ****-****, Google Trends index Google Trends

The return to school represents a time of year marked by significant expenses for families, with costs that can vary widely depending on the specific needs of each student. These costs include not only textbooks and school supplies but also stationery items. Analyzing average per capita spending from **** to the present, one can assess the exponential growth in monthly spending discussed above, starting from *** euros per student and reaching the ***.* euros discussed above.

Average back-to-school spending per student Italy, ****, in € Source: ****

In ****, the average back-to-school spending of Italian students ...

2.3 Geographical distribution of demand

To visualize the geographical distribution of consumption in stationery and drawing materials, an analysis of monthly household spending in **** is proposed. It can be seen that the highest spending values are in the regions of Northern Italy, where spending is recorded around €*.** current; followed by Central Italy with a value of €*.** and the South, where spending is recorded around €*.*.

3.1 Market structure and dynamics

To analyze the structure of the market related to the production of stationery items, it is essential to consider the number of enterprises active in this sector. A detailed survey reveals that, in the period between **** and ****, there has been a considerable decrease in the number of these enterprises, with a decline rate of **.* percent. This decline underscores a trend of market consolidation, with the lowest point reached in recent years, when the number of active enterprises settled around the figure of ***.

Firms active in the manufacture of stationery items Italy, ****-****, in hundreds Istat

Within the entrepreneurial landscape, it is interesting to observe the distribution of legal forms adopted by active enterprises. In particular, **.* percent of enterprises opt for the legal form of sole proprietor, freelancer or self-employed. This choice reflects the prevalence of small businesses or professionals who prefer a simple and agile structure with less bureaucracy and direct management of activities. The choice to operate as a sole proprietor or freelancer is often motivated by the desire to maintain complete control over business decisions and the need to limit operating costs, especially in the initial stages of business activity. In parallel, limited liability companies (***) account for **.* percent of ...

3.2 Value Chain

The value chain in the stationery market includes several key stages:

Research and Development (***): product and design innovation. Procurement: purchase of raw materials, such as paper, inks, plastics. Production: manufacture of stationery items, such as pens, notebooks. Quality control: quality assurance of finished products. Logistics: distribution of products to retailers or directly to consumers. Marketing and sales : promotion of products and sales through different channels.

Paper: important product in the industry

The paper production process involves several stages, ranging from raw material preparation to the finished product, with attention to both traditional production and recycling.

Raw material preparation: cellulose, the main component of paper, is mainly extracted from tree fiber but can also come from cotton, flax or hemp. This fiber is then milled and reduced to pulp, which serves as the basis for papermaking. Paper production: the process consists of three main steps: leaf formation, pressing and drying. The paper pulp is spread on a flat, moist surface, compressed and finally dried. During drying, the paper can be further finished to improve its surface. Paper recycling: the paper to be recycled is pulped and turned into new pulp, a process that requires less energy and water than production from virgin ...

3.3 Distribution channels

To delve deeper into the analysis of distribution channels in the stationery and office supply sector, it is essential to consider both the wholesale and retail trade of these items. The survey begins by examining the wholesale trade, where a decrease in the number of operating firms is observed, with a significant decrease of *.* percent. This decrease can be attributed to several factors, including the digitization of business processes, which reduces the need for traditional stationery items, and the growing trend toward buying directly from manufacturers or through e-commerce platforms, which often offers more advantageous terms than traditional wholesale intermediaries.

Firms active in the wholesale paper, cardboard and stationery trade Italy, ****-****, in thousands Istat

In the retail segment, the situation appears even more critical, with an even sharper contraction, reaching **.* percent. This phenomenon highlights a significant transformation in consumer purchasing behavior, which is increasingly shifting to online for convenience, variety of offerings and the ability to quickly compare prices.

Firms active in the retail trade of stationery and office supplies Italy, ****-****, in thousands Istat

3.4 Main actors

4.1 Type of Offering

Stationery products are essential for both the school and college environment and the business world and include a wide range of items used for writing, drawing, organizing and filing documents. Below is a description and list of major stationery products, based on common information available in multiple sources:

Writing supplies

Pens: available in various types such as ballpoint, gel, fountain pens, and markers. Pencils: graphite pencils for writing and drawing, colored pencils for art. Highlighters: used to mark important parts of text with bright colors. Correctors: in tape or liquid, used to correct writing errors.

Items for drawing and creativity

Crayons: wax or oil, for coloring and drawing. Markers and markers: available in a wide range of colors for drawing or writing in a marked manner. Erasers: for erasing pencil marks or erasable inks. Compasses: tool for drawing perfect circles and measuring distances on maps.

Organization

Notebooks and notepads: for taking notes, available in various sizes and types of paper. Folders and binders: for organizing and filing documents. Envelopes and document holders: for storing and transporting documents. Adhesive labels: for labeling and organizing materials and documents.

Miscellaneous accessories and tools

Scissors: for cutting paper and other thin materials. Adhesive tapes and ...

4.2 Prices

The following are examples of pricing for products in this market. Product Price BIC pens (***) *,** € Faber-Castell Pencil *,** € Patel Cariola highlighters (***) *,** € Tripp-Ex Correctors *,** € Giotto Crayons (***) *,** € Giotto markers (***) *,** € Staedtler eraser *,** € Staedtler compass **,** € Notebooks and notepads (***) *,** € Binders - mitama *,** € Adhesive labels **x** mm format (***) *,** € Scissors *,** € Pritt glue stick (***) *,** € Eberhard Faber ruler *,** € Casio pocket calculator *,** € Bezend diaries *,** €

Average cost of textbooks

In ****, the cost of school supplies increased an average of +*.* percent from the previous year. The cost of books is also growing, with an estimated change of +* percent. Sil (***) provides some interesting data regarding the average expenditure to be incurred in going back to school. Regarding spending for the three years of middle school:

in sixth grade you spend about ***€ for books plus **€ for school supplies; in seventh grade ***€ for books and **€ for school supplies; in third grade ***€ for books and **€ of kit.

As for spending on school supplies for high school, taking classical high school as a reference:

in the first the expenditure is around ***€ in books plus ***€ for kit; in third of ***€ plus **€ in kit.[***]

Price trends

To analyze the trend of consumer prices in stationery items, we take the value of the last year and see a significant growth from January ...

4.3 The ecological stationery

Recently we are witnessing a green revolution that directs consumer purchases toward products that do not negatively impact the environment (***) and, on the contrary, contribute to its well-being. Sustainable stationery is a prime example of this trend; the term applies to items such as: pens, pencils, notebooks, packaging, boxes, and more. Some may be made from non-polluting materials, such as sustainably managed lumber, while others may use green raw materials or have been created in a way that avoids landfill.

Eco-sustainable stationery: why choose it?

If all consumers chose recycled paper, it would help make the world a cleaner and healthier place. Recycled stationery is made from wood waste, paper and cardboard made from plant residues, old pieces of packaging materials, and recyclable plastics. Agricultural waste that remains in the fields after harvesting is collected and recycled to make paper and cardboard. Stationery is something that is impossible to do without for everyday activities. Students cannot work without using notebooks and books, but one can choose notebooks, agendas, drawing or note pads, created born with recycled paper. Offices need them to carry out their activities. If everyone started using eco-friendly products, it would create a huge impact on the environment in ...

5.1 Rules and regulations

In order to provide an accurate list of laws and regulations affecting the stationery market in Italy, it is important to consider several areas, including product safety, environmental protection, tax regulations, and business benefits.

Legislative Decree ***/**** (***): includes regulations on product safety, including stationery, and consumer protection. REACH Regulation (***) No. ****/****: also applicable in Italy, regulates the use of chemicals in products, including stationery products. Legislative Decree ***/**** (***): contains provisions on waste management and recycling, which may affect the stationery industry, especially regarding the use of recycled and recyclable materials. Law Dec. **, ****, No. *** (***): introduces measures to promote the circular economy, which may incentivize the use of sustainable materials in the stationery sector. Legislative Decree ***/****: transposing the EU directive on packaging and packaging waste, establishes requirements for reducing the environmental impact of packaging. Industrial Property Code (***): provides protection for patents, trademarks, designs and models, crucial for the protection of innovations in the stationery industry.

6.1 Segmentation

Manufacturers

Stationers

• Faber-Castell
• Staedtler
• Legami
• F.I.L.A.
• Carioca
• Etafelt
• Stilolinea
• Gruppo Buffetti