In this episode of What’s Trending Now, PRINTING United Alliance’s chief economist Andy Paparozzi shares insights specifically for the package printing industry from his state of the industry research for the first quarter of 2025.

Citing a survey recently completed by NAPCO Research, Paparozzi noted 93.5% of companies expect tariffs to affect them, with 68.8% anticipating a 10.8% increase in operating costs over six months. 62% expect reduced profit margins, and 36.6% foresee limited sales growth. Companies plan to offset tariffs by raising prices (60%), boosting productivity (17%), and absorbing costs (23%). Consumer sentiment has dropped 31.4% since December, impacting GDP growth to 1.4% for 2025.

The renowned economist also shared strategies to mitigate these effects include creating clarity, leveraging AI for supply chain management, and maximizing productivity