New Year, New Print: Planning Your Business Print for the Year Ahead

Most businesses order print reactively — when something runs out, when an event approaches. This approach is more expensive per unit, generates more waste and makes it harder to maintain consistent quality.

Step 1: Audit last year

Before ordering anything new, understand what you actually used: What did you order and what quantities? How much was unused or wasted? What ran out and needed urgent reprinting at a premium? Most businesses find 20-30% of their print budget goes on waste or emergency reprints — both avoidable with planning.

Step 2: Build your print calendar

Map out anticipated events, campaigns and stationery replenishment needs. If you know you need leaflets in March and posters in April, order both in January. The savings on unit cost usually outweigh storage inconvenience.

Step 3: Set your eco standards

Decide your baseline specification and stick to it for every order: FSC certified paper as standard, vegetable inks on every brief, no plastic lamination on short-lived items, UK suppliers only. Making these decisions once means you don’t have to revisit them for each order.

Step 4: Get your trade account in place

A trade account on printing.uk gives you 15% off all orders throughout the year. Apply now so the discount is in place before your first order of the year.