Global consumption of paper and cardboard 1961-2021

The global consumption of paper and cardboard was approximately 418.3 million metric tons in 2021 - an increase of 4.5 percent compared with the previous year. The global consumption of paper and paperboard has increased almost 75 percent, relative to 1990 levels. Global paper consumption is projected to further increase in the coming decades, surpassing 460 million metric tons by 2030.

Which country consumes the most paper?

China is by far the largest consumer of paper worldwide, having consumed 132.7 million metric tons of paper and paperboard in 2021. This represented nearly a third of the total paper consumption worldwide. China was followed by the United States, which consumed 65.6 million metric tons.

E-commerce boosts production

As with consumption, paper production has been increasing worldwide. Although the production of graphic paper has been falling in the age of digitalization, the demand for packaging paper and board has been increasing annually. The growth in packaging production has been fueled by the online shopping boom, with a growing need for containerboard – a material used in the manufacture of corrugated board.