Consumers demand return to print as digital fears soar

Further evidence has emerged that consumers are increasingly rejecting brands’ efforts to railroad them into receiving digital over paper-based communications, driven by fears over data security, digital fatigue, health risks and the environment, as well as the desire to simply have the right to choose for themselves.

The Two Sides Trend Tracker is a biennial global study and one of the most comprehensive surveys into consumer perceptions of print, paper, and paper-based packaging.

For its latest edition, the research gathered responses from 12,400 consumers across 17 countries, including the UK and Europe, North and South America and South Africa, to gauge global attitudes towards paper-based and digital communication.

As has been widely reported the vast majority of organisations are encouraging customers to transition from paper to digital communications, often citing environmental benefits.

However, Two Sides argues that many of these claims lack evidence and fall under the definition of greenwashing.

In fact, nearly three-fifths (56%) of European consumers recognise the primary motivation for service providers switching their customer communications to digital is to reduce costs, not to help the environment, an increase from 49% in 2021.

Furthermore, 65% believe they should not be charged more for choosing paper bills or statements, a figure that has risen steadily from 54% in 2021.

The right to choose remains important for many. Over three-quarters (76%) of European consumers (up from 74% in 2021) agree they should have the right to choose between paper and electronic communications, especially when dealing with financial and service providers.

Earlier this week, digital-first retailers were urged to wake up and smell the coffee in a new report by shopper intelligence firm Catalina UK, which revealed that UK shoppers are rejecting mobile vouchers to embrace the humble printed coupon.

According to Two Sides, this choice is not only about preference but about accessibility, ensuring that those who cannot easily access digital services are not left behind.

As digital communication becomes increasingly dominant, concerns about its long-term impact are growing. The Trend Tracker results reveal unease and growing concern among consumers around issues such as data security, digital fatigue, and the potential health risks associated with screen overuse.

In fact, 57% of respondents worry that personal information held digitally is vulnerable to hacking, theft, or loss (55% in 2021); 50% feel they spend too much time on digital devices (49% in 2021) and 48% are concerned about potential health impacts from excessive screen time (46% in 2021).

The report also debunks the notion that digital communications are more environmentally friendly, citing figures which show the information and communication technology (ICT) sector was responsible for up to 6% of global electricity use as far back as 2020, contributing to more than 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions – and more than the aviation industry.

With rising digital demand, this footprint is expected to grow substantially over the next decade, with some estimates projecting that global data centre electricity consumption alone could double by 2030, reaching almost 3% of global consumption.

Additionally, the issue of electronic waste is escalating. In 2022, the world produced a record 62 million metric tonnes of e-waste, of which just 22.3% of global e-waste was collected for recycling. Recycling activities are not keeping pace with the global growth of e-waste. Non-environmentally sound disposal and treatment of this waste stream poses significant risks to the environment and to human health, the report argues.

Two Sides Europe managing director Jonathan Tame said: “Print and digital each play an important role, and rather than competing, they should be seen as complementary channels.

“What’s crucial is that consumers are not misled into thinking digital is inherently better for the environment than paper. That’s why Two Sides actively challenges organisations that use unverified and misleading claims, such as ‘Go Green, Go Paperless’, to push digital-only communications.

“These messages not only mislead consumers, but they also unfairly damage a European industry that supports 640,000 jobs (105,000 in the UK) and over 112,000 businesses (7,400 based in the UK).”