BOOK-BUYING TRENDS, READING HABITS & CUSTOMER NEEDS
As part of our ongoing mission to strengthen the resilience, capacity, and sustainability of the bookselling sector, it is with great pride that we present the study Consumer Behaviour - Book-Buying Trends, Reading Habits & Customer Needs, produced through the European & International Booksellers Federation’s EU co-funded project, RISE Bookselling. By examining consumer behaviour in book-buying and reading habits, we aim to equip booksellers with the knowledge they need to stay relevant, competitive, and future-proof.
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The study takes into consideration that globalisation and the digital revolution have undoubtedly changed the way people purchase and consume goods, including books, thus transforming today’s retail environment and customers’ buying habits. In response, the study draws on data from the 9500 respondents who took part in the study’s online quantitative survey, which was conducted across 19 countries. This gives us unique insights and the possibility to compare current trends and consumers’ attitudes to book-buying in the 19 countries surveyed. Topics include:
- Book buying and reading habits
- Top 5 most purchased genres across all sales channels
- Places of purchase and reasons to purchase in physical bookshops


Energy
Individual country reports

Australia
A majority of Australian respondents have read (80%) and purchased (64%) a book in the past 12 months...

Bulgaria
Bulgarian respondents boast a great number of readers since 90% of them have read a book over the last year and 81%...

Canada
Reading is an appreciated pastime for many Canadian respondents, with 37% citing that it remains a hobby in their...

Finland
For most Finnish respondents (62%), reading was a favourite pastime when they were children. Currently, they follow the study...

France
France is a country of dedicated readers. Over the last 12 months, 80% of the surveyed French people report having...

Germany
Our German respondents enjoy reading slightly more than the other 19 countries surveyed, with 87% of them having read...

Ireland
The Irish respondents are book-loving people: they stand out positively on almost all of this study’s analysed points...

Italy
Our Italian respondents are keen readers, with 94% of them having read a book in the last 12 months and 86% of them...

Latvia
The share of readers among Latvian respondents is lower than average when compared to the 19 countries surveyed...

The Netherlands
The Dutch represent the norm in terms of reading habits when compared to the other 19 countries surveyed, with 86%...

New Zealand
Reading remains an important hobby for both young and old New Zealand respondents. Indeed, the country...

Norway
In 2023, 84% of the Norwegian respondents read a book and 70% bought one. As in most countries, paper books...

Portugal
Portugal matches the average of the 19 countries surveyed in terms of reading habits, with 85% of the Portuguese...

Slovakia
The share of readers among Slovak respondents is lower than the average of the 19 countries surveyed with 76% of them...

Spain
Our Spanish pool of respondents has a high proportion of readers, with 91% having read a book over the last year and 80% having...

Sweden
Swedish respondents are avid readers, with 87% of them having read a book in the past year, and 73% having bought one...

Switzerland
Our German-speaking Swiss respondents fall within the norm in terms of reading habits when compared to the other 19...

UK
Respondents from the UK are heavy readers: 92% have read a book in the last 12 months and 78% have purchased one...

USA
American respondents are particularly fond of the enjoyable atmosphere they find in independent bookshops...
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RISE Bookselling is a network programme organized by the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) and co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.
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