Pentel: Power of the Pen

Speak to some of the biggest players in the writing instruments sector about the current state of the market and you get a very mixed response.

Pentel UK reports a positive annual performance, with a slight decline in retail sales offset by a modest resurgence in the commercial OP market. UK wholesaler VOW, meanwhile, saw 7% growth across the whole category in 2017, with sales of branded pens (+11%) and value bulk packs (+18%) outperforming the rest of the sector.

However, the signs from continental Europe are not as positive. Following several years of growth, German manufacturer Schneider Pen has seen a sharp sector reversal and says that, at best, sales in the market have been flat over the past 12 months. It’s a similar story at RKV – Sweden’s largest office supplies dealer group – which acknowledges that it has seen little, if any, growth in the past year.

Across the Atlantic in New Jersey, US, manufacturer Zebra Pen also reports flat sales in this category. Interestingly, despite considerable online competition, US consumers are still making 70% of their writing instruments purchases from retail outlets.

Read the full article here at OPI.net