Plastic office or school supplies market in Belgium

Earlier Report Observations

The market for plastic office supplies in Belgium contracted sharply from 2019 to 2021, with volume falling from 11,311 t to 5,614 t. This decline was primarily driven by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which led to widespread office and school closures, drastically reducing demand for traditional office products. The crisis persisted into 2021, further suppressing the market as remote work became entrenched and the structural shift away from paper-based activities accelerated.

From 2022 to 2023, market volume remained subdued, fluctuating between 7,260 t and 4,588 t. The ongoing reduction in school-age population, the continued decline of paper use in offices, and the normalization of hybrid work models eroded core demand. Simultaneously, supply chain pressures and rising costs for raw materials like plastic impacted production and pricing, while growing consumer preference for sustainable and recycled products began to reshape the product mix within the market.

A partial recovery to 6,473 t occurred in 2024, supported by the strong expansion of e-commerce and omnichannel retail strategies, which broadened market access. Demand was also stimulated by the need for home office supplies, including ergonomic and compact products, and by a sustained consumer shift towards functional, aesthetically pleasing, and eco-friendly items made from recycled or biodegradable materials.

Production plastic office or school supplies in Belgium

In value, 2017-2020, K $ US

In 2020, Belgium's production of plastic office or school supplies was valued at 18 408 thousand US dollars, marking a 15.1% decrease compared to 2019. Over the period from 2017 to 2020, production fell by 61.5%, with a compound annual growth rate of -27.2%.

Annual dynamics of production in Belgium in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

In kind, 2017-2020, t

In 2020, Belgium produced 6 581 tonnes of plastic office or school supplies, representing a sharp decline of 29.7% from the previous year. Between 2017 and 2020, production dropped by 53.7%, which translates to an annualized decrease of 22.7%.

Annual dynamics of production in Belgium in kind, 2017-2020, t

Exports plastic office or school supplies from Belgium

Exports in kind, t

In 2020, Belgium's exports of plastic office or school supplies totaled 6 506 tonnes, down 18.6% year-over-year. From 2017 to 2020, exports decreased by 7.7%, with an annualized rate of -2.6%. The highest export volume was recorded in 2019 at 7 993 tonnes, which also saw the largest increase of 13.4%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Belgium in kind, 2017-2020, t

Between 2017 and 2020, Germany, the Netherlands, and France were the top buyers of plastic office or school supplies from Belgium, accounting for 33.5%, 26.3%, and 16.4% of exports in kind, respectively. Together, these three countries made up 76.2% of total exports in kind.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Belgium in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, K $ US

In 2020, Belgium's exports of plastic office or school supplies reached 30 422 thousand US dollars, a significant reduction of 17.6% from the previous year. Over the 2017-2020 period, exports declined by 16%, with a compound annual growth rate of -5.6%. The peak value was in 2019 at 36 928 thousand US dollars, which also experienced the largest increase of 4.4%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Belgium in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

From 2017 to 2020, Germany, the Netherlands, and France led Belgium's export structure in value terms, with shares of 26.9%, 25.3%, and 20.1%, respectively. Combined, these three countries represented 72.3% of total export value.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Belgium in value, 2017-2020

Imports plastic office or school supplies to Belgium

Imports in kind, t

In 2020, Belgium imported 8 700 tonnes of plastic office or school supplies, a 12.5% decrease from the previous year. Between 2017 and 2020, imports fell by 14.2%, equating to an annualized decline of 5.0%. The largest increase occurred in 2019 at 2.3%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Belgium in kind, 2017-2020, t

During 2017-2020, the Netherlands, China, and France were the main sources for Belgium's imports in kind, contributing 32.1%, 19.8%, and 17.0%, respectively. Together, they accounted for 69.0% of total imports in kind.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Belgium in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, K $ US

In 2020, Belgium's imports of plastic office or school supplies amounted to 50 572 thousand US dollars, showing a slight increase of 0.7% compared to the previous year. The lowest value was recorded in 2019 at 50 206 thousand US dollars, which saw the largest decline of 1.7%. The highest value was in 2018 at 51 059 thousand US dollars, with the largest increase of 1.5%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Belgium in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

From 2017 to 2020, the Netherlands, France, and Germany remained the primary suppliers of plastic office or school supplies to Belgium in value terms, with shares of 37.9%, 18.8%, and 15.9%, respectively. Collectively, they formed 72.5% of total import value.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Belgium in value, 2017-2020