Two structural themes defined 2025 and will set the trajectory for the market over the near-to-medium term.

Ink tank and cartridge-free momentum. The ink tank segment continued to capture a greater share of new device placements globally. Despite a higher upfront device cost, ink tank cost per copy is materially lower than that of ink cartridge devices, and vendor investment is expanding beyond home use, with a broader selection of ink tank models now targeting SMB and lower-tier enterprise segments. This shift is most pronounced in Asia/Pacific and other emerging markets but is increasingly visible in established markets in Western Europe and North America.

A3 to A4 mix shift. Hybrid working patterns continue to challenge A3 MFP replacement cycles, as reduced office occupancy raises questions around the need for high-format departmental devices. While the overall ratio of A3 to A4 devices has remained steady over the last decade, A4 laser retains strength in SMB and distributed enterprise environments, with A4 inkjet MFPs gaining acceptance on the back of attractive upfront pricing and a competitive cost per copy.

The A3 color laser segment remains the “gold standard” for workflow automation in the office environment. Despite unit contraction, it remains the single largest revenue contributor within the global hardcopy peripherals market, accounting for just over a third of total market value. Vendor commitment to the segment is reflected in the growing inclusion of remanufactured and refurbished devices within OEM product portfolios (covered in the IDC Semiannual Refurbished MFP Printer Tracker), aimed at addressing customer segments with ESG compliance requirements.

North America continued to feel the effects of subdued office demand, with A3 monochrome laser MFP units under particular pressure as the mature installed base migrates to color laser. Enterprise refresh activity remains cautious, with procurement decisions increasingly tied to broader IT and digital workplace investments rather than standalone device cycles, as the hardcopy peripherals market undergoes wider transformation.

EMEA presented a mixed picture, with growth in color inkjet units and value driven by ink tank shipments. The laser market declined, mainly due to falls in monochrome laser shipments, while color laser was marginally lower in units at -0.5% from 2024. Enterprise and public sector activity provided pockets of resilience against a backdrop of macroeconomic caution. Vendor channel strategies, particularly around direct versus indirect mix, are increasingly a differentiating factor in how EMEA share is distributed, with outcomes varying by how well each vendor’s go-to-market is matched to the pockets of growth that differ markedly by country.

Sustainability and circular economy considerations are also becoming more material to the EMEA picture, with rising adoption of ink tank systems, growing demand for OEM refurbished devices, and EU ecodesign and circularity regulations set to continue shaping product and consumables design over the coming years.

China saw continued contraction in both units and value, accompanied by share consolidation among domestic vendors. Competitive pressure has intensified, with local vendors capitalising on government procurement tailwinds to expand share at the expense of multinational incumbents. Across laser and inkjet combined, the China market declined -5.6% in units and -2.5% in value, with the inkjet and color laser segments providing relative resilience against steeper declines in monochrome laser.

IDC expects overall global hardcopy market conditions to remain challenging through 2026, with units under continued pressure across most geographies and segments. The value picture is more nuanced, as ongoing mix shift toward higher-value devices and structural change around ink tank penetration continue to reshape the composition of the market. Even a stabilisation in volumes would represent a fundamentally different market than the one that preceded it.