Today

The art of letter writing is still thriving despite the rise of texts and emails, says market analyst Mintel.

UK sales of pens and stationery rose by 9 per cent between 2001 and 2005 to reach £527m.

And by the end of 2006, sales are expected to rise by a further 4 per cent to hit £546m.

Mintel said the growing popularity of designer pens was the driving force behind the high spending.

David Bird, senior market analyst at Mintel, said: "There is an assumption that new technology always replaces old in the way that DVDs have replaced the video.

"But emails and texts have not replaced personal stationery and writing instruments, and in fact the old and the new seem to be complementing each other well.

"The new electronic forms of communication have made it easier for people to stay in touch and reminded many just how good it can be to send and receive messages.

"This trend has had a positive impact on the more traditional pen and paper market as people look for a variety of ways to stay in touch."

In 2005, pens, pencils and other writing equipment accounted for about 68 per cent of the UK's stationery market, a proportion that has changed little over the last five years, with paper-based products making up the remainder.

Looking ahead, Mintel predicts that sales of pens and stationery will rise by around 11 per cent to just over £600m by 2011.