The new Trend Tracker Survey 2025, published by Two Sides Europe, examines how consumer perceptions of print, paper, and paper-based packaging are evolving. The study highlights that despite the industry’s progress and growing focus on sustainability, persistent myths about paper’s environmental impact continue to shape public opinion.
According to the survey, only 41% of respondents correctly identified agriculture – including livestock and crop cultivation – as the main driver of global deforestation. Many consumers continue to view other activities as more threatening: 60% point to urban development, 58% to palm oil plantations, 54% to construction and the timber industry, while 46% consider the pulp and paper industry a significant contributor, up from 42% in 2023.
In reality, deforestation is primarily driven by agricultural expansion, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. By contrast, European forests – the main source of raw material for paper and packaging – are expanding, with a net daily growth equivalent to around 1,500 football fields.
Wood fiber, the key raw material for paper, is renewable and sourced from sustainably managed forests in Europe, where planting, growth, and regeneration cycles are strictly regulated. Public support for this approach is strong: 66% of European consumers say it is important to use paper products from sustainably managed forests, and 36% actively look for forest certification labels when purchasing.
However, misconceptions remain widespread. 64% of consumers believe that new paper is made exclusively from recycled fibers, overlooking the practical reality that fibers cannot be recycled indefinitely. On average, paper fibers were reused 3.5 times in Europe in 2022, and paper achieved a 79% recycling rate, the highest of any material. Concerns about water use also persist, with 50% of respondents believing the industry consumes excessive amounts. In fact, about 90% of the water used in European papermaking is treated and returned to the environment.
“It is encouraging to see that consumers perceive the pulp and paper industry as less harmful to forests than other sectors, but the survey results show how little deforestation is truly understood. Many myths about print, paper-based products, and their environmental impact remain,” said Jonathan Tame, Managing Director of Two Sides Europe.