Statistics on the Eco Promotional Product Market 2025

David Platt • 9 September 2025

Industry facts and statistics about eco friendly promotional products

Looking at the UK total market for promotional products we see the total size is some £1.2 billion in 2025 – with some 2,993 distributors. The industry is highly fragmented with only 8 distributors having a turnover of in excess of £10 million and 1,891 having a turnover of less than £250k. This fragmentation makes it difficult to see what is happening at the detailed level and information of the proportion of ‘eco’ products difficult to ascertain. Indeed, the definition of what constitutes an eco-product is subject to debate.

Images magazine (https://www.images-magazine.com/record-sales-uk-promotional-product-sector/) puts the growth of promotional products in the UK at 4.2% year on year – so a bright spot in the economic turmoil of the UK.

Eco –Friendly promotional products

There are no published figures for the UK which identify the sales of eco-friendly products. In the USA, an NPD Group study published in The Business Desk stated the US market for eco was $2.9 billion out of total US market of $20.4 billion or 14.2%; and growing at a whopping 14.5% per annum. Given that Europe is considered more eco-conscious than the US a 14.2 % market share for the UK would seem highly conservative.

Industry sourcing body Sourcing City report that the top search for some time now has been ‘Eco- friendly promotional products’ and market research company Zipdo provide the following attitude statistics:

https://zipdo.co/sustainability-in-the-promotional-products-industry-statistics/

· 55% of promotional products suppliers now offer eco-friendly options

· 42% of promotional product buyers prioritise sustainability when selecting products

· 60% of buyers are willing to pay more for sustainable promotional items ( see our blog post on this – you may be surprised at the ‘premium’ on eco friendly product)

· 70% of promotional products companies have sustainable product lines

· 85% of millennials prefer eco-friendly promotional products

· 48% of promotional product companies invest in recycled materials

· 52% of consumers look for environmentally friendly labels on promotional items

· The global eco-friendly promotional products market is projected to reach $12 billion by 2025

Conclusion is that eco is not only growing fast but is positioned ready to become the norm within the industry. Buyers and suppliers who ignore the strategic implications of this do themselves no favours.

Sources as stated plus Sourcing City

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Evaluating Carbon Footprint in Branded Merchandise

by David Platt • 13 April 2026

SUMMARY: Comparing eco promotional products is difficult because of the range of materials used Carbon footprint is a measure which allows comparison Need to look at CO2 equivalent because of the use of organic solvents in promotional merchandise There is a difference between Cradle to Gate and Cradle to Grave in the measurement, because we never know whether the end user will attempt to recycle products Pavilion is a specialist in providing branded promotional products, which are sustainable. The most common question we're asked, of course, is what's the most sustainable branded product? And how would you measure that? And that's a difficult question and often comes with hesitations. Why? This blog aims to try and explain eco credentials, particularly for promotional merchandise and how you might compare them. The first problem you have, is that you're comparing different materials. This is why it's difficult is because there's no true standard of sustainability. There is no international marking that says, this one's a 10, and this one's a 1. The nearest you have is carbon footprint. Carbon footprint generally means the amount of carbon dioxide measured in kilos, but you have to be a bit careful with that, particularly for promotional merchandise because carbon dioxide is not the only greenhouse gas. You may be fully aware that methane, natural gas has a global warming effect 50 to 60 times more than CO2. So, you don't need to measure just CO2, you've really have to look at a CO2 equivalent. In other words, converting the methane. And why do I mention that? Promotional merchandise is often printed and unless you are using water based inks, there will be solvents, and therefore, CO2 equivalent is what you need to measure. The next problem that you've have is what are you measuring the carbon footprint of? Are we talking what's termed - Cradle to Grave or Cradle to Gate? The concept is explained in the diagram.

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