Reduce paper consumption in the office: 8 effective tips
Paper remains part of everyday work for many companies. Yet many printouts are produced not because paper is strictly necessary, but because of habits, unsuitable default settings or unnecessary breaks between digital and paper-based processes. The most effective approach is therefore not “stop printing altogether”, but: avoid printing first, then print efficiently and make consumption measurable.
- Measure first: Without a baseline, it is impossible to determine later whether the measures are actually working.
- Digitize where it makes sense: Approvals, internal communication and many working documents do not require a printout.
- Make duplex the default: For suitable multi-page documents, this can almost halve the number of sheets required.
- Pull printing can prevent unnecessary printouts: Print jobs are only released at the device.
- Prefer recycled paper: Paper certified with the Blue Angel under DE-UZ 14a is made from 100% recovered paper.
- Observe legal requirements: A PDF is not automatically a legally compliant e-invoice, and scanning a document does not always permit the original to be destroyed.
Why paper consumption is still relevant
In 2024, Germany consumed approximately 190 kilograms of paper, paperboard and cardboard per capita. Insgesamt waren es rund 15.9 million tonnes.
These figures from the German Environment Agency cover the total consumption of paper, paperboard and cardboard in Germany—not office paper alone. They nevertheless show the scale at which paper continues to be used as a resource.
In the office, consumption can be influenced relatively directly because the same printing decisions are made every day: print an email or read it digitally? Print a presentation single-sided or double-sided? Print every page or only the pages that are needed?
Sustainable printing therefore does not start with a single product, but with a better process.
1. Measure paper consumption first
Anyone who wants to save paper should first know how much is actually being used.
A statement such as “We don’t actually print that much” is not a reliable baseline.
Useful metrics
Paper purchasing
How many packs or boxes of copy paper are purchased per month or quarter?
Printer counters
Many office devices record page counts, colour pages and, in some cases, duplex usage.
Departments
For larger companies, analysis by location, device or cost centre can be useful.
Trend
What matters is not only the absolute figure, but also how it changes over several months.
A duplex print with two printed pages may require only one sheet. When analysing the data, therefore check which metric the respective printing system actually reports.
A simple starting metric could be: packs of copy paper per month. For many smaller offices, this metric alone is enough to make changes visible.
2. Avoid printouts through digital workflows
The most sustainable printed page is often the one that is not needed for the process in the first place.
For internal workflows in particular, it is therefore worth asking: Why are we printing this document at all?
Typical candidates for digital processes
- internal meeting materials,
- drafts and work-in-progress versions,
- presentations,
- work instructions that are frequently updated,
- approval processes,
- internal notes and task lists,
- documents that are only forwarded or commented on.
Digital filing instead of paper folders
A structured electronic document filing system can replace many traditional paper folders.
For business documents, however, access rights, backups, data protection, version control and, where applicable, statutory retention requirements should be taken into account.
A sensible digital workflow requires a transparent filing structure, clear responsibilities and appropriate backup mechanisms.
3. Understand e-invoicing and digital archiving correctly
Especially for invoices, it is no longer appropriate to recommend simply replacing paper with a PDF across the board.
A PDF is not automatically an e-invoice
Since January 1, 2025, new rules have applied in Germany to electronic invoices between domestic businesses.
For tax purposes, an e-invoice must generally be provided in a structured electronic format or otherwise meet the statutory requirements for such a format.
Examples of suitable formats, subject to the applicable requirements, include XRechnung as well as certain ZUGFeRD versions.
Transitional rules apply to the changeover. Companies should review their specific invoicing process against the requirements currently in force.
Retention is important too
The German Federal Ministry of Finance points out that, for an e-invoice, at least the structured part must be retained in such a way that it remains intact in its original form.
Scanning does not automatically mean the paper can be destroyed
OCR and document scanners are excellent tools for making paper documents searchable and usable digitally.
Whether the paper original may then be destroyed depends on the type of document and the applicable regulations.
After proper image-based capture, paper documents may generally be destroyed unless other tax or non-tax regulations require the original to be retained.
This section does not constitute tax or legal advice. For critical documents, the requirements should be clarified with a tax adviser, legal adviser or the responsible specialist department.
4. Enable duplex printing and sensible print defaults
If a document genuinely needs to be printed, the default settings determine how much paper is routinely used.
Duplex as the default
Automatic duplex printing uses both the front and back of a sheet.
For suitable multi-page documents, this can almost halve the number of sheets required.
A document with 20 printed pages requires 20 sheets when printed single-sided. With duplex printing throughout, it generally requires 10 sheets. However, this does not mean that a company’s total paper consumption will automatically fall by 50%.
Other useful defaults
- black and white for internal documents when colour is not needed,
- 2 pages per sheet for suitable drafts or presentations,
- a selected page range instead of “Print all”,
- draft or economy mode for internal working versions,
- set duplex printing as the driver or server default.
5. Use pull printing to prevent forgotten printouts
A common problem in larger offices is that someone sends a document to the printer, gets distracted or changes their mind—and the printout is then left in the output tray.
With Pull Printing, sometimes also called Secure Printing or Follow-Me Printing, the job is initially held back.
Printing only starts when the user actively releases the job at the device, for example by logging in, entering a PIN or using a company ID card.
Benefits
- uncollected printouts can be avoided,
- confidential documents are not left openly in the output tray,
- users make a conscious decision again immediately before printing,
- with suitable systems, the job can be released at different devices.
At a workstation with a single personal printer, a complex pull-printing system would often be excessive. It is particularly useful for shared printer fleets.
6. Reduce misprints and test prints
Not every unnecessary printout is produced because the document itself was unnecessary. Often, the print result is simply wrong.
Use print preview
Before printing larger documents, briefly check:
- are the page breaks correct?
- is there an almost empty final page?
- is a table being cut off?
- are comments or markup visible?
- is the correct page range really being printed?
Optimize the layout—but preserve readability
Saving paper does not mean reducing font sizes until documents become uncomfortable to read.
More sensible options include:
- remove unnecessary blank pages,
- scale tables to fit the page,
- print presentations with multiple slides per sheet,
- select only the chapters or pages that are needed,
- print internal drafts in a more compact format.
Reduce the number of unnecessary pages first—not the readability of the document.
7. Use recycled paper consistently
Where paper is still required, the choice of paper is an important lever.
In its updated life-cycle assessment, the German Environment Agency finds clear advantages for recycled paper compared with virgin-fibre paper.
78% less water
Average advantage of recycled-paper production in the life-cycle assessment examined.
68% less energy
Recycled paper also performs significantly better on average in terms of energy demand.
15% less CO₂
The production process examined causes lower CO₂ emissions on average.
They do not mean that the overall environmental footprint of an office automatically falls by 78%, 68% or 15%.
Blue Angel DE-UZ 14a
Recycled paper carrying the Blue Angel label provides a particularly simple point of reference.
The current generation of criteria DE-UZ 14a, 2026 edition, includes office, copy and multifunction paper, among other products.
Certified recycled papers are made from 100% recovered paper.
The Blue Angel also sets requirements for fitness for use and paper durability.
Of course, paper weight and paper type should still comply with the specifications of the respective printer.
8. Establish team printing rules and measure success
Technical settings alone are not enough. If employees continue to deliberately switch every draft to “single-sided, colour, all pages,” the impact will remain limited.
A simple internal printing policy may be enough
- Digital distribution is the default.
- Documents are printed only when paper is useful or necessary for the process.
- Duplex is the default for multi-page documents.
- Internal documents are generally printed in black and white unless colour conveys useful information.
- Print preview is checked before large print jobs.
- Recycled paper is the standard office paper where technically suitable.
Measure again after a few months
Then review the same metrics as at the beginning.
| Metric | Before | After | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Packs of paper per month | Baseline | new value | downward trend |
| printed pages | Baseline | new value | reduce unnecessary printing |
| duplex share | Baseline | new value | increase for suitable documents |
| share of recycled paper | Baseline | new value | increase to an appropriate level |
This turns “We want to print more sustainably” into a measurable improvement process.
Digital is not automatically more sustainable
One important caveat: paper should not simply be replaced by unlimited digital storage and then treated as “emission-free.”
Digital processes also require:
- end-user devices,
- servers and data centres,
- networks,
- storage,
- electricity and raw materials for hardware.
The right question is therefore not: “Paper or digital—which is always better?”
Digital processes are often genuinely useful because they eliminate printing, transport, manual filing and breaks between media. However, this does not amount to a blanket environmental guarantee.
10-point quick check: Where can your office save paper?
- Do you know your monthly paper consumption?
- Is duplex printing the default on suitable devices?
- Do internal drafts really still need to be printed?
- Are presentations and meeting materials distributed digitally?
- Are printouts regularly left uncollected?
- Would pull printing make sense for shared devices?
- Do employees use print preview before large print jobs?
- Is suitable recycled paper used by default?
- Are e-invoicing and digital retention organized correctly?
- Is paper consumption measured again after measures are introduced?
Conclusion: The goal is not a paperless office, but an office that uses less paper
Eliminating paper completely from a company is neither sensible nor necessary for every process.
A systematic approach is much more effective:
- measure consumption,
- avoid unnecessary printouts,
- use digital processes where they make sense,
- use duplex printing and efficient print defaults,
- reduce misprints,
- prefer recycled paper,
- and then check whether consumption has actually changed.
FAQ: Reducing paper consumption in the office
What is the best way to reduce paper consumption in the office?
The most effective approach combines measurement, digital workflows, duplex printing, avoidance of misprints, suitable print defaults and recycled paper. Companies should compare consumption before and after introducing the measures.
Does duplex printing really save 50 percent of paper?
For suitable multi-page documents, duplex printing can almost halve the number of sheets required. However, this does not mean that a company’s total paper consumption will automatically fall by 50 percent.
What is pull printing?
With pull printing, a print job is initially stored and is only released at the printer by the user. Among other things, this can prevent uncollected printouts. It is particularly useful for shared office devices.
Is recycled paper suitable for office printers?
High-quality recycled paper is suitable for common office applications and many printers. Paper certified under Blue Angel DE-UZ 14a meets requirements for fitness for use and is made from 100 percent recovered paper. The printer manufacturer’s paper specifications should still be observed.
How environmentally friendly is recycled paper?
According to the life-cycle assessment by the German Environment Agency, producing recycled paper uses, on average, 78 percent less water and 68 percent less energy and causes 15 percent fewer CO₂ emissions than producing virgin-fibre paper. These figures relate to paper production, not to a company’s overall environmental footprint.
Is a PDF automatically an e-invoice?
No. For tax purposes, an e-invoice must generally meet the requirements for a structured electronic format. An ordinary PDF on its own does not automatically meet this requirement.
Can I destroy paper documents after scanning them?
Not in every case. Under the GoBD, paper documents may generally be destroyed after proper image-based capture unless other tax or non-tax regulations require the original to be retained.
Is digital work always more sustainable than paper?
No, not automatically. Digital processes also require energy, hardware, storage and data centres. A process is beneficial when it genuinely reduces unnecessary material and resource consumption while improving the workflow.
Sources & further information
- German Environment Agency – paper consumption and recycled paper: Recycled paper is good for the environment
- German Environment Agency – life-cycle assessment: Updated life-cycle assessment of graphic and hygiene paper
- Blue Angel – recycled paper: DE-UZ 14a – Graphic paper and board made from 100% recovered paper
- German Federal Ministry of Finance – e-invoicing: Questions and answers on mandatory e-invoicing
- German Federal Ministry of Finance – GoBD: GoBD – amendment of July 14, 2025
Updated: August 31, 2026. Tax and organizational requirements may change. For documents with tax or legal relevance, the current statutory requirements should always be checked.
