GPMA Says Government’s Covid-19 Response to Print Industry is “Heartening”

The Graphics and Print Media Alliance (GPMA) says it has received a “heartening” response from the UK government after campaigning for financial support to support the print industry during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In September, the GPMA wrote to Chancellor Rishi Sunak urging the government to provide disaster relief for the thousands of print industry businesses that have been negatively affected by the pandemic.

The GPMA has since received a response from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) that states the government “fully recognises the importance of the graphics and print media sector to the UK economy, and to the consumers who rely on printed materials for information and communication”.

The response states that the government is “focused on measures to combat the virus in the places where it is most prevalent, whilst also doing everything possible to keep our economy moving forwards with people working in a Covid-19 secure way”. It adds that, “a mean-tested ‘disaster relief’ style grant should be made available to the printing industry has been noted, and will be borne in mind as the policy response to the pandemic evolves.”

We will continue our collective efforts to work with the Government in securing a sustainable solution,” said the GPMA in a statement.