Paper and print still relevant as ever - study

Johannesburg - Contrary to popular belief, society is far from being paperless.

A recent survey conducted by the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA) found that 82% of respondents still use many forms of paper in their daily lives. Only 5% reported using paper “little”, and 0.2% said they did not use paper.

Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA) director Jane Molony says the world is changing, and so is use of paper.

“We wanted to get a better understanding of how, when, and why people use paper and what they thought about it. What we learnt is that paper in its countless forms still holds a prominent place in people’s lives,” she says.

The 1 976 people surveyed said paper is for pleasure. When reading for fun, respondents preferred paper books and magazines to electronic versions. Just over 32% of participants read paper books, 22% read magazines and 11% enjoy newspapers. In total 65% of people preferred paper when reading for leisure.

Eighty percent of those who completed the survey admitted that they own 50 books or less with 8.6% saying they have more than 100. Just under a quarter of respondents still get their news from newspapers only, while 33% of the participants say they rely on a combination of newspapers and websites. A significant 87% of people agreed that labelling and printing on packaging are important to them. Just over 64% of respondents correctly believe that paper is sustainably produced in South Africa and some 85% understand paper to be a renewable resource.

“These insights are great news for our sector which has been championing the versatility, renewability and recyclability of paper through awareness, advocacy and education programmes,” Molony says.

She adds that however the myths around paper production causing deforestation still abound.

“There is disconnection between people recognising that paper is a sustainable material, but believe that trees need to be kept in the ground to help our planet. We continue to counter misinformation about paper and print with the science around harvested wood products, and to challenge attitudes about paper and print’s place in society,” she says.

Since the early 2000s, the internet has been inundated with predictions of paper and print getting obsolete. Decades later, both remain a staple part of daily lives, and South Africans believe that this will not change anytime soon.

Asked if they believe print is dead, 55% of respondents disagreed. Despite what some say, print and paper are still very much alive.