Market researcher the International Data Corporation (IDC) said most of the region’s countries saw a decline in the number of machines installed, with the exception of a few markets in Scandinavia.

The findings were included in the IDC's latest Western European Quarterly Large-Format Printer Tracker, which stated that 15,500 units were sold across western Europe in the second quarter.

Research manager Julio Vial said: "The main reason for the drop in the UK and the rest of western Europe is the economy, which is showing signs of recovery so figures could pick up."

New technology, spearheaded by companies such as HP, could also have an impact on how the market evolves this year and beyond, he added.

The technical sector continues to be the largest market in western Europe, with more than a 65% share of the application type, although the market declined by 4.4% year-on-year in the second quarter.

The graphics segment dropped by around 30% in the same quarter year-on-year.

The top three vendors in western Europe in Q2 were HP, Canon, and Epson, accounting for 83.7% of total wide-format printer shipments.

IDC tracks A2 to A0 and larger devices in the printer market, including single-function printers and multifunctional systems.