According to the data exclusively disclosed by Smithers Pira's the future of label printing to 2022, the value of the global label market in 2017 is US $34.46 billion, and the annual growth rate of the label market will reach 2.8% in the next five years. By 2022, the value of the label market will reach us $39.5 billion.

 According to the report, the average annual growth rate of the wide format printing market is only about 1.2%, which is in sharp contrast to the label market, because the profits of traditional terminal applications are being eroded by electronic media. Labels, like packaging, are more resistant to this threat. Especially in some newer markets, labels still have great commercial potential, because these markets are developing towards buying more labeled products.

 　In 2017, the total number of labels amounted to more than 465 billion A4 sheets, and Asia now accounts for 46% of the global total. At the same time, during the study period, Asia maintained above average growth, contributing 48% to the development of label market. The only region that is expanding faster than Asia on average is the emerging African market, which also accounts for less than 4% of global supply by 2022.

 　　The report also mentioned that there are still many new business potentials to tap in mature markets. For example, in the United States and the European Union, new labelling laws are being introduced in the pharmaceutical supply chain. A recent example is the introduction of the counterfeit medicines directive (FMD) in Europe in 2018. The Directive requires that each individual package must have a two-dimensional code as required by the law, which is used as the unique identifier of the law. According to the law, the labeling materials used on drug packaging, including folding cartons, must also integrate tamper proof performance, which is mandatory.

 　　In the analysis of label form, Smithers Pira's report found that adhesive label remained the leading product, accounting for 58% of the market share in 2017. Over the next five years, this part of the market will still grow faster than the average. The same growth also includes shrink film labeling and in mold labels, while the market share of wet label will decline.

 　　The report also analyzes the current market situation of digital label printing. The report shows that in the past decade, narrow rotary label printing machine has taken the lead in the application of digital technology (including toner and inkjet system), and this trend is far from over. New printing machines with large production capacity are launched every year. Now the market value share of digital printing has reached 29.3%, compared with 20.8% in 2012 and 35.6% in 2022. In terms of printing volume, the market share of digital printing is relatively low, with 13% in 2017 and 17.9% in 2022, which reflects that digital printing is mainly used in short version and high value-added products. In terms of printing methods, the growth of toner printing technology is relatively low, about 1% per year, while the annual growth of inkjet printing technology can reach 16.5% in the same period. In analog printing, the expected growth comes from sheet fed and cold set offset printing, although the latter is generally used for high volume, low value printing.