CEPI says recycled paper consumption declined in Europe in 2025

Paper mills in the nations that report statistics to the Brussels-based Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) consumed 1.3 percent less recovered paper in 2025 compared with 2024.

In a summary released by CEPI, the organization says the decrease was tied to “the structural decline of the graphic paper segment,” referring to mills that make newsprint and printing and writing paper.

States CEPI regarding 2025 year-on-year measurements, “The utilization of old newspapers (ONP) and magazines (OMG) declined by 16 percent, while the utilization of old corrugated containers (OCC) and kraft products moved up by 1.7 percent.”

The 1.3 percent decline in recovered paper consumption comes close to mirroring the CEPI region’s 2025 decline in paper and board production.

CEPI says output at mills in its member countries decreased by 1.5 percent in 2025 compared with the previous year, adding, “This decrease occurred after the rebound observed in 2024 (+5.9 percent) that followed the sharp decline recorded in 2023 (-12.9 percent).”

The organization says the two figures also jibe with conditions in the overall European Union economy, which CEPI indicates grew by 1.1 percent in 2025.

CEPI says paper and board production decreased in several other nations or regions in 2025, including the United States, Japan, Canada and South Korea. Year-on-year paper and board growth production was recorded last year in China (+2.9 percent) and Brazil (+0.1 percent), according to CEPI.

“Insufficient demand remains an important limiting factor to production,” says Jori Ringman, director general of CEPI, regarding 2025 output in Europe. “A further growth potential exists in replacing fossil-based materials, but there we face an unlevel playing field with fossil-based materials and asymmetric information guiding the customer choices.”