The High Cost of Ink Cartridge Refilling: Consumers Look for Alternatives

In recent years, there has been a growing trend among consumers to avoid refilling their own ink cartridges. The high cost and complexity of the process, along with allegations of unscrupulous practices by printer companies, have made it increasingly difficult for people to refill their own cartridges.

Refilling ink cartridges is a task that requires specialized tools and expertise. The cost of these tools and the time involved in the process can make refilling a costly and time-consuming venture. And on top of that, resetting an ink cartridge is a complex process that requires specialized knowledge and technical skills.

Printer companies have also been accused of lying to consumers about the amount of ink left in their cartridges, which makes it difficult for consumers to accurately gauge when they need to refill their cartridges. This has added to the frustration of consumers who feel that they are being taken advantage of.

In response to these issues, many consumers are seeking out alternative methods to manage their ink needs. For example, some consumers are turning to bulk purchasing of ink or subscribing to ink delivery services. This allows consumers to avoid the high cost and complexity of refilling their own cartridges, while still being able to manage their ink needs effectively.  As a result, the number of "home refillers" continues to fall year after year.

Estimates of consumers refilling ink cartridges per year vary depending on the type of cartridge and printer. According to a study by ScienceDirect, cartridges can be refilled up to 15 times[1]. A separate study by Stanford University estimates that if a consumer prints an average of 6 pages per day over 3 years, they will use 7 cartridges[2]. Additionally, TonerGiant states that ink cartridges are manufactured with a 2-year expiry date[3]. Therefore, the number of consumers refilling ink cartridges per year is likely to change over time as new technologies and products become available.

While consumer refilling their own ink cartridges is on the decline, the latest data from CONTEXT reveals that the Refillable ink tank printer revenue share has increased from around 26% of the total inkjet market in 2021 to over 30% in 2022[4]. This is on the back of small and medium sized businesses which actually recycle used cartridges, clean them, and refill them.  In Q1 2021, over one billion pages were printed by ink tank devices, representing a year-on-year increase of 8.5%[5]. This indicates that refillable ink tanks are becoming more popular among consumers, even though they aren't directly refilling them.

In fact, some of the biggest "refillers" these days are the actual printer manufacturers. Wondering why?  Well, the global printer toner market size is estimated to be worth USD 7.35 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 6.35%. The ink refill market is a key component of the global printer industry and has experienced some ups and downs over the past several years. Lyra Research estimates that the refill market will grow to 10% in 2023. In India, the ink and toner cartridge industry is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 15% between 2023 and 2028 to reach a value of USD 1055 million by 2027.

Sources:
[1] sciencedirect.com: Pricing and collection for printer cartridge recycling under ...
Cartridges can be refilled up to 15 times, in extreme cases, ... More than 500 million printer cartridges are sold per year in the U.S., ...
[2] stanford.edu: The Inkjet Aftermarket: An Economic Analysis
If the consumer prints an average of 6 pages per day over 3 years, for a total of 6,500 pages and 7 cartridges, total replacement ink cost.
[3] tonergiant.co.uk: How many pages will my cartridge print before it runs out?
If your wondering how long ink cartridges or toner lasts before they expire or ink dries up, ink cartridges are manufactured with a 2-year expiry date. When you ...

[4] therecycler.com: Ink tank market share grows - The Recycler - 04/05/2022
The latest data from CONTEXT reveals that the Refillable ink tank printer revenue share has increased from around 26% of the total inkjet market ...
[5] contextworld.com: Over one billion pages were printed by ink tank devices in Q1 ...
London, 11th May 2021 - The European market for refillable ink tank printers hit a new milestone in Q1 after the year-on-year volume of...