UK YTD print book sales up after eight years of decline

In the UK, year-to-date print book sales are up for the first time in eight years, reports the Bookseller. According to Nielsen BookScan, print book sales are up 4.6% for the first 36 weeks of 2015—the first time the print book market has recorded a growth over this period since 2007. Fiction is up the most, by 6.3%; trade nonfiction is up 6.2% and children’s is up 2.7%. Booksellers have offered a number of reasons for this growth, including an economy recovery, a ‘evaporating’ ebook threat and a strong first-half from publishers. ‘The publishing has been exceptionally strong, led by Go Set a Watchman and Terry Pratchett’s last book, the extraordinary sales of colouring books and a leavening of soft porn in June. Publishers have indeed upped their game,’ said Waterstones MD James Daunt, adding that ‘e-reading is finding its natural place’ and an emerging economic recovery has also boosted sales.

Category: International news