India Stationery Market Outlook, 2027-28

The Indian stationery market has registered substantial growth in the past few years owing to the growing urban population, changing lifestyle, and increasing demand for stationery products in the private and public sector, along with growing government initiatives in improving the education system such as Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA). Moreover, the rising brand awareness, the increasing adult literacy rate, and the growing number of start-ups will further boost the demand for the stationery market in India.

According to the report, "India Stationery Market Outlook, 2027-28" published by Bonafide Research, the market is anticipated to grow at more than 8% CAGR for 2022-28. Earlier, parents were both influencers and purchasers, with children having little say in which brand and what design of books or type of pencil they would take to school. However, now, with pester power from children; they are often both the influencers and the end users. Notebooks are no longer as boring as they once were, with fancy covers, selfie upload options, and a variety of cover textures available to those who want to stand out. The rise in digital content surrounding stationery products and its use has also introduced an entirely new breed of influencers and reviewers who often sway purchase decisions.

With an increasing number of schools being built, the education sector is rapidly becoming an important target group for stationery retailers. With an influx of newer brands, national and international, promising consumer-buying patterns and large amounts of money being pumped into the market, the scenario for the stationery industry in India looks pretty promising. The invasion of international players with a positive and healthy outlook will help domestic players to upgrade themselves, and technological improvements and the liberalisation of government policies will help change the whole global scenario.

The Indian stationery industry is highly unorganized; the share of the organised players in the industry is less than the unorganised players. With the emergence of international brands like Faber Castle, Kores, Maped, etc. in the Indian market, the market has become highly competitive in both quality and price. The present-day consumer is educated, has a knack for experimentation, has the capacity to spend and, above all, wants value for money. Consumers want an increased variety of choice in stationery products, ranging from private label/branded, domestic/international, etc. Indian buyers are price-sensitive but are ready to spend more if dependable products are offered. Brand awareness has increased substantially among consumers. People want brand promise and are ready to pay extra for it. Increasingly, as buyers evolve and premium products are developed to suit the consumer’s needs, properties such as better-quality paper, minimalistic designs, a richer and wider range of pigments in paints and crayons, environmentally friendly materials, etc. are gaining popularity. The Indian customer is gradually shifting from inexpensive to quality products, which he/she can connect to. Today, the industry looks well set and is scripting a bright future.

New market players are exploring vast growth opportunities in the huge Indian market through online sales of stationery. For instance, Archies, a leading brand of premium gifts and stationery in India, had reported prominent market growth, but due to their internal issues, they have given up their market share and have created a vacuum which is open for others to grab. Further, government initiatives such as the National Policy on Education to ensure low-cost and quality compulsory education for all would also spur the growth of the stationery market in India. Further, the growing e-commerce industry in the country is also contributing to rising sales of stationery products. In addition to that, due to rising competition in online stationery stores, the suppliers of Indian stationery have to be on their toes since the rivals are striving ahead of the curves and it becomes exigent day after day. In terms of variety, quality, and design, new products are being launched daily to grab the market share as early as possible.

School stationery comprises pencils, sharpeners, erasers, notebooks, pencil cases, and sketch pens. It plays an integral part in the education system and is utilised by students of all age groups. It is available in different materials, including wood, paper, plastic, and metal. At present, key manufacturers operating in India are introducing product variants in cardboard, innovative papers, and marble to provide a high degree of personalization. Apart from this, the leading players are increasingly focusing on developing and introducing innovative products to retain their competitive position in the market. These players are introducing sustainable and eco-friendly variants of crayons, sketch pens, oil paints, watercolours, and paintbrushes.

In line with this, they are focusing on marketing and brand-building campaigns, such as licenced collaborations with children’s television channels that enable manufacturers to print popular cartoon characters on stationery items. This, in confluence with the increasing dependence on social media platforms and over-the-top (OTT) media services to promote their products, is offering lucrative growth opportunities in the country. Some of the other factors projected to positively influence the market include rising global literacy rates, increasing educational spending capacity, and the continuous launch of innovative product designs. For instance, Scooboo, already a renowned name among youngsters and stationery enthusiasts in India, caters to the stationery needs of all age groups and audiences ranging from offices to schools and shopkeepers to college students. Besides regular stationery, Scooboo sources globally recognised products from well-known stationery brands around the world, and it provides the majority of Japanese stationery that is known for its high quality and thoughtful designs.

The total market for stationery is made up of paper stationery and non-paper stationery products. Paper stationery includes products for school, college, offices and other personal use. The non-paper category is divided into segments like writing instruments, office products, colours, and other adhesive and technical instruments. Among both categories, the paper Stationery market has the largest share of the overall Stationery market in years 2021-22. The Stationery market is further segmented into tier 1, 2, and 3 cities. Among them, tier 2 cities have the largest market share because the number of cities is greater than tier 1, and the educational level of tier 2 cities is higher than tier 3 and 4. Considering distribution channels, the market is divided into offline and online markets. Undoubtedly, the offline channel of selling and distribution for the Stationery market has the dominating share. But it is to be expected that online selling will grow in the near future, thus affecting the market share of offline retail.

COVID-19 Impacts:
During the last two years, the pandemic has disrupted the entire school curriculum as schools were shut down and transitioned to online education. Also, with most offices working from home, the regular supply of various stationery products to commercial establishments did not happen the usual way. The shift to online teaching has also reduced the need for stationery brands, and the same holds true for offices and commercial establishments. The increased digitisation and rapid adoption of e-learning, e-books and smart learning classes has reduced the usage of stationery products, which is expected to affect the growth of the stationery market.

Major companies that operate into the Stationery market in India are ITC Limited, Doms Industries Private Limited, BIC Cello (India) Private Limited, Kokuyo Camlin Limited, Hindustan Pencils Private Limited, The West Coast Paper Mills Limited, Navneet Education Limited, Flair (India) Private Limited, Sundaram Multi Pap Limited, J K Paper Limited, Linc Pens & Plastic Limited.

Covered in the report:
• India Stationery market
• Paper Stationery
• Non-paper Stationery
• Office paper Stationery
• Non-office paper Stationery
• Writing instrument Stationery
• Stationery colours and fine arts products
• Office product non-paper Stationery
• Adhesive and technical Instruments Stationery

"India Stationery Market Outlook, 2027-28" discusses the following aspects of Stationery in India:

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The report gives an in-depth understanding of the Stationery market in India:
• India Stationery Market Outlook
• India Paper Stationery Market Outlook
• India Non-paper Stationery Market Outlook
• Non-office Paper Stationery Market
• India Office Paper Stationery Market
• India Writing Instrument Market
• India Pen Stationery Market
• India Ball Pen & Roller Ball Pens Market
• India Gel Pen & Gel Roller Pens Market
• India Fountain and Others Pens Market
• India Pencil Market
• India Standard Pencil Market
• India Mechanical Pencil Market
• India Other Writing Instruments Market
• India Stationery Colours and Other Products Market
• India Office Products Market
• India Adhesive and Technical Instruments Market
• Market Size By Value
• Market Size By Volume
• Market Share By Segment
• Market Share By Type
• Market Share By Demographics
• Market Share By Distribution Channels
• Market Share By Use
• Market Share By Region
• Market Share By Company
• Market Drivers, Challenges and Trends & development
• PEST and Five Forces Analysis
• Major Players of the Market

This report can be useful to Industry consultants, manufacturers and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.

Report Methodology
The information contained in this report is based upon both primary and secondary research. Primary research included interviews with various channel partners of Stationery market in India. Secondary research included an exhaustive search of relevant publications like company annual reports, financial reports and proprietary databases.

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