Worldwide printer and multifunction peripheral shipments fell 7% year on year to 17.2 million units in the second quarter of 2026, although ink tank devices continued to expand, according to market research firm IDC.
The value of shipments declined 5.8% to $8.1 billion during the quarter, IDC said in its Worldwide Quarterly Hardcopy Peripherals Tracker.
Inkjet devices accounted for a larger portion of the overall decline, but ink tank models posted growth in both emerging and mature markets. IDC said these devices continued to take market share from cartridge-based printers as manufacturers expanded their ink tank portfolios.
Laser printer shipments also contracted, although their decline was smaller than that of inkjet devices. Demand was weaker for A3 models, while declines among A4 devices narrowed.
Both color and monochrome laser printer shipments decreased from a year earlier, with monochrome models recording the steeper drop. However, monochrome devices rated at 45 to 90 pages per minute posted slight growth.
“Q2 2026 was marked by geopolitical and economic volatility that left both consumer and commercial buyers cautious, dampening appetite for investment in new products,” said Maggie Tan, vice president at IDC. “This headwind is likely to persist until the macro picture stabilizes.”
IDC attributed part of the market weakness to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which affected oil prices and supply chains and prompted buyers to delay purchases.
Asia-Pacific, excluding Japan and China, recorded the strongest year-on-year regional growth, driven by continued demand in India.
China’s market contracted further because of weaker consumer demand, limited enterprise budgets and the effects of purchases brought forward under government subsidy programs. A3 color multifunction peripherals were the market’s only growing segment.
Latin America returned to modest growth as its laser market recovered and inkjet demand remained steady. Shipment value rose faster than unit sales because of stronger demand for higher-priced devices.
The United States recorded sharp declines in both laser and inkjet shipments amid consumer and business uncertainty and supply constraints. Western Europe also posted a deeper contraction, although ink tank printer shipments grew during the quarter.
