UK printing 'needs to convince consumers of its sustainability'

More work needs to be done to make sustainable printing transparent to consumers, it has been claimed.

UK printers and marketers need to work harder to convince the public that paper printing can be sustainable, according to one industry figure.

Alex Walsh of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) said the sector should be "doing to more to explain why paper isn't the environmental bad guy".

He was commenting on research published by the DMA and fast.MAP, which found over a third of respondents believe unpersonalised leaflets and direct mail are more harmful to the environment than newspapers and supplements.

But Mr Walsh commented: "The facts aren't anywhere near as clear cut as consumers perceive."

The results of the Sustainability Tracking Study suggest firms that use direct mail may wish to carefully consider the way they present their promotional materials - the report found 40 per cent of people see polythene-wrapped mail as an indication a company is not very eco friendly.

Furthermore, Peter Kohn recently stated in an article for ProPrint that sustainable printing requires input from the whole industry.