Greeting Cards Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Product Type (Flat, Folded), By End User (Men, Women), By Distribution Channel (Online, Offline), By Region & Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 21.05 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	3.81%
Fastest Growing Segment	Online
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 26.34 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Greeting Cards Market will grow from USD 21.05 Billion in 2025 to USD 26.34 Billion by 2031 at a 3.81% CAGR. Greeting cards are defined as illustrated pieces of card stock featuring expressions of sentiment or celebration intended to enhance personal relationships and mark specific occasions. The primary drivers supporting the market's growth include the enduring human need for tangible emotional connections and the cultural persistence of seasonal traditions. Consumers continue to prioritize physical cards over digital alternatives for their keepsake quality and ability to convey authentic care during milestones. Demonstrating this resilience within a key global region, according to the Greeting Card Association (UK), in 2025, the retail value of the greeting card market in the United Kingdom reached £1.53 billion.

One significant challenge that could impede market expansion is the increasing cost and unpredictability of global postal services. As national postal operators frequently raise stamp prices and reduce delivery schedules to offset operational deficits, the convenience and affordability of sending physical mail diminish. This logistical friction acts as a deterrent for consumers and risks accelerating the migration toward instant digital communication methods for everyday greetings.

Key Market Drivers

The accelerated adoption of e-commerce and online retail platforms is fundamentally reshaping the global greeting cards market by enhancing accessibility and enabling advanced personalization. Consumers are increasingly migrating toward digital storefronts that offer the convenience of browsing extensive catalogs and the ability to customize cards with personal photos and messages, features often unavailable in physical retail settings. This digital shift allows for instant scheduling and direct delivery, catering to the time-constrained modern shopper while maintaining the emotional sentiment of the product. Demonstrating the scale of this digital transition, according to Moonpig Group, June 2024, in the 'Results Announcement for the year ended 30 April 2024', the leading online greeting card platform reported a total revenue of £341.1 million, driven by high customer retention and the expansion of personalized gifting options.

Increasing consumer preference for sustainable and eco-friendly materials is concurrently forcing a widespread industrial pivot toward responsible manufacturing practices. Market participants are aggressively reducing their environmental footprint by eliminating non-recyclable components such as glitter and cellophane, replacing them with FSC-certified paper and biodegradable packaging. This trend is no longer niche but a central requirement for brand loyalty and compliance with global environmental standards. For instance, according to Card Factory, April 2024, in the 'Preliminary Results for the year ended 31 January 2024', the retailer successfully removed single-use plastics from 90% of its own-labelled products. Underscoring the magnitude of the production infrastructure adapting to these evolving demands, according to IG Design Group, in June 2024, the global manufacturer generated annual revenue of $800 million.

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Key Market Challenges

The increasing cost and unpredictability of global postal services fundamentally hampers the growth of the greeting cards market by dismantling the affordability and convenience that sustain consumer participation. When national postal operators raise stamp prices and reduce delivery frequency to mitigate operational losses, the total cost and effort required to send a physical card rise disproportionately. This logistical and financial friction acts as a deterrent for price-sensitive shoppers, compelling them to substitute traditional mail with free, instant digital greetings. As a result, the volume of everyday or spontaneous card-sending declines, restricting market activity primarily to high-value, obligatory occasions which limits overall volume growth.

This challenging environment is quantified by the rapid inflation of postage rates in major markets, which creates a barrier to frequent purchasing. According to the Greeting Card Association, in 2024, the cost of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp in the United States rose to 73 cents, representing the second price increase within a single year. Such repeated hikes directly erode consumer purchasing power and confidence, stalling market expansion by making the maintenance of tangible personal connections increasingly cost-prohibitive for average consumers.

Key Market Trends

The growth of culturally diverse and inclusive design themes is rapidly altering product portfolios as publishers seek to authentically represent a wider spectrum of consumer identities. Market participants are moving beyond generic imagery to produce cards that specifically celebrate underrepresented communities, integrating distinct cultural narratives, languages, and non-traditional milestones into their collections. This shift is driven by a consumer demand for relevance and representation that mass-market designs previously failed to address. Underscoring this industry-wide focus, according to Gift Shop Magazine, February 2024, in the 'Greeting Card Association reveals 35th annual Louie Awards finalists' article, the Greeting Card Association reported a 21% increase in award entries, a surge directly attributed to the introduction of seven new diversity categories including those celebrating Black, Latinx, and LGBTQIA+ cultures.

A marked resurgence of artisanal and independent artist collaborations is simultaneously reshaping the sector, shifting value from centralized studio models to decentralized creator marketplaces. Consumers are increasingly rejecting standardized visuals in favor of unique, illustrator-led designs that offer a distinct aesthetic and a sense of direct patronage to the artist. This trend empowers digital platforms to act as intermediaries, allowing individual creatives to monetize their work without managing physical inventory. Highlighting the economic scale of this model, according to PG Buzz, August 2024, in the 'Thortful pays creators £12m' article, the online marketplace Thortful revealed it has paid over £12 million in royalties to its community of independent designers since its inception.

Segmental Insights

The online distribution segment is projected to emerge as the fastest-growing category within the global greeting cards market due to the increasing consumer demand for convenience and high levels of customization. Digital platforms allow users to personalize designs with specific messages and images, a capability often limited in traditional brick-and-mortar retail. Industry insights, such as those monitored by the Greeting Card Association, indicate that the shift toward e-commerce is further accelerated by the availability of print-on-demand services and direct-to-recipient delivery models. Consequently, rising internet penetration is driving a substantial migration of sales volume from physical storefronts to web-based channels.

Regional Insights

North America maintains a dominant position in the global greeting cards market driven by strong cultural traditions regarding personal expression and gift-giving. The region benefits from established retail distribution channels and the presence of major industry manufacturers that ensure consistent product availability. Data from the Greeting Card Association indicates that sustained demand for both seasonal and everyday cards anchors this market leadership. Additionally, higher disposable income levels enable consumers to purchase diverse and premium product offerings, further solidifying North America’s status as the primary revenue generator in the international sector.

Recent Developments

• In January 2025, American Greetings partnered with the American Cancer Society to launch a specialized collection of digital greeting cards aimed at promoting public health. The collaboration introduced a series of customizable Creatacard™ designs specifically crafted to encourage loved ones to schedule life-saving cancer screenings. These digital greetings, available in English and Spanish, allowed senders to add personal messages to heartfelt templates that emphasized the importance of early detection. This initiative utilized the company's digital platform to facilitate meaningful health-related conversations, supporting the non-profit organization's mission to improve cancer survival rates through proactive care.
• In December 2024, Card Factory expanded its international operations by acquiring Garven Holdings, a gift and celebration essentials company based in the United States. This strategic acquisition, valued at £20 million, marked the United Kingdom-based retailer's physical entry into the significant American market. The Chief Executive Officer of Card Factory noted that the transaction would accelerate the company's partnership strategy and provide a platform to introduce its proprietary ranges to US wholesale customers. The deal encompassed the Garven Designs and Cadence Packaging brands, leveraging their established customer base to drive future growth and distribution synergies.
• In October 2024, Hallmark Cards introduced a new product line known as "Gift Card Greetings" through a collaboration with payment technology provider InComm Payments. This innovation merged a physical greeting card with a digital gift card, aiming to provide a hybrid solution that offered both tangibility and flexibility. The new format allowed consumers to choose a physical card design that contained a digital credit redeemable at over 100 different retailers and restaurants. A senior executive at Hallmark explained that the launch responded to consumer demand for convenience and personalization, bridging the gap between traditional sentiment and modern digital gifting preferences.
• In September 2024, Moonpig announced a commercial partnership with The Entertainer and the Early Learning Centre to significantly broaden its gifting inventory. This collaboration enabled the online greeting card platform to list a curated selection of approximately 200 toys and games, which customers could purchase alongside personalized cards. The expanded range featured popular brands such as Barbie, Paw Patrol, and Squishmallows, targeting key occasions like children's birthdays and new baby celebrations. Management at Moonpig stated that this integration was designed to offer a seamless "total retail solution," allowing users to conveniently pair gifts with cards in a single transaction.

Key Market Players

• American Greeting Corporation
• Archies Limited
• Avanti Press Inc.
• Greeting Card Association
• Card Factory plc
• UK Greetings Limited
• Crane & Co., Inc.
• Galison Publishing LLC
• Hallmark Cards, Incorporated
• IG Design Group Plc

By Product Type	By End User	By Distribution Channel	By Region
Flat Folded	Men Women	Online Offline	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Greeting Cards Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Greeting Cards Market, By Product Type:

• Flat
• Folded

• Greeting Cards Market, By End User:

• Men
• Women

• Greeting Cards Market, By Distribution Channel:

• Online
• Offline

• Greeting Cards Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE