May 2026

The New Chip Shortage: Why Printer Hardware Prices Are Creeping Up Again

Just as the last chip shortage faded from memory, a new one is emerging, and this time it's not a pandemic causing it.

How the last shortage was resolved

The 2020-2022 chip shortage caused real disruption for printer manufacturers and cartridge makers alike, with acute shortages of the small chips embedded in ink and toner cartridges. That crunch has largely eased since, through a combination of nearshoring production, diversifying suppliers, and building up larger inventory buffers across the industry.

What's driving the new pressure

The current concern isn't pandemic-related supply disruption, it's demand. Tech giants' insatiable appetite for high-end AI processors is straining the broader semiconductor and memory chip supply chain. Both HP Inc. and Dell Technologies have issued warnings that a looming memory chip shortage is set to push up prices across PCs, laptops and smartphones through 2026. Because printers rely on many of the same semiconductor suppliers, both for onboard processing and for the small chips embedded in cartridges, that pressure flows through to printer hardware and consumables too, and is expected to bring higher prices and potential product delays.

What it means for cartridge prices specifically

Supplies of compatible printer cartridges in some markets are already reported to be tightening, with prices tipped to rise by as much as 15%, compounded further by new import tariffs in some regions. Despite that pressure, the underlying market isn't shrinking: the global toner cartridge market is still estimated at roughly US$12.8 billion in 2026, with steady growth led largely by the aftermarket and remanufactured segment, demand for affordable consumables isn't going away even as input costs shift.

If you rely on a specific SKU regularly for a business printer, it's worth keeping a modest buffer stock rather than ordering only when you're empty, particularly if pricing on that model looks likely to move. That said, cartridges do have a shelf life, so there's a balance between getting ahead of a price rise and over-ordering.

None of this is cause for alarm, prices moved through the last shortage and settled, and the industry has clearly gotten better at absorbing supply shocks since. But it's a good moment to plan ahead rather than be caught out by a price change on a cartridge you order every few weeks.

Lock in today's pricing

Stock up on your regular cartridges now before any supply-driven price rises land.

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