Global consumption of paper and paperboard 2022, by select country

China is the world's largest consumer of paper and paperboard by far, consuming 130.3 million metric tons worth in 2022. This was roughly the combined quantity of paper and paperboard consumed in the United States, Japan, Germany, India, and Italy, and accounted for 32 percent of global paper and paperboard consumption that year.

Global paper and paperboard consumption

The two largest consumers of paper and paperboard are China and the United States. Together, these two countries accounted for approximately half the quantity of paper and paperboard consumed worldwide in 2021. However, the per capita consumption of paper and paperboard in the U.S. is far higher than the per capita consumption of paper and paperboard China.

What is the most consumed paper type?

The global demand for containerboard is far higher than for any other paper type. In 2021, containerboard demand was estimated at 178 million tons, accounting for more than 40 percent of global paper demand that year. In comparison, the demand for printing and writing paper was 85 million tons.