Most car buyers have become accustomed to requesting a model catalogue from a dealer so that they can better understand the model they want and compare it with the competition. However, with the advancement of the times, ** and online catalogs have also become alternative reference materials for environmental protection. In order to further reduce carbon emissions, Toyota Motor Corporation announced that it will stop providing paper catalogs in Japan from January 2025.
Toyota says that about 7,000 tonnes of paper are used annually in model catalogues, and that figure may only be in demand in the Japanese market. In addition, a recent study showed that the production, transportation, storage and disposal of print brochures generate up to 11,000 tonnes of carbon emissions per year. By replacing paper formats with digital-only solutions, distributors can significantly reduce carbon emissions and save valuable forest resources. Toyota Motor said in a statement that although it has been providing paper product catalogs for many years, in order to further promote sustainability and carbon neutrality goals, the brand will stop producing and printing all paper catalogs of Toyota Toyota brand vehicles from January 2025.
As an alternative to paper-based catalogs, Toyota Motor Corporation Toyota will launch the Smart Catalog in digital form at its dealerships in Japan. Potential buyers will have access to high-definition tablets that provide all the information they need through video and graphics. The digital interface also allows customers to compare multiple models or different car classes. For more traditional customers, Toyota will continue to offer a PDF version of the product catalog through its Japan**.
While Toyota is currently only discontinuing its dealerships in Japan from using paper catalogs, other markets are likely to adopt a similar strategy as part of the brand's carbon reduction goals. The move may disappoint some car enthusiasts and catalogue collectors, but a new generation of buyers is likely to be more than happy to ditch paper products in favor of screen-based reading digital catalogues. After all, the massive decline in print magazine sales in the age of online communities** is a testament to this trend.