Global book publishing had a mixed performance in 2024, with Brazil's exports surging 266% while European markets faced declines. Physical book sales fell across France, Italy, and the U.K., where a lack of consumer confidence after another year of inflation took the blame. German and Swiss markets remained stable, with price increases offsetting declines in unit sales. What follows are brief market snapshots.

German market posts modest gains

German book sales rose 0.8% overall in 2024 despite a 0.5% drop in December. Price increases of 2.6% offset a 1.7% decline in unit sales. Local bookstores slightly outperformed the overall market with sales up 0.9%. Nonfiction led category growth at 7.7%, boosted by Angela Merkel's memoir Freedom, while fiction rose 4.1% and children's books gained 0.5%. Industry leaders noted ongoing market tension amid rising costs and consumer restraint.

U.K. indie bookstores sales decline

The U.K.'s independent bookshop count fell to 1,052 in 2024 from 1,063 in 2023. Indie bookstore sales had a slight decline, with unit sales down 1.7% and value down 0.6%. The Bookseller Association's Christmas Trading Survey revealed mixed results: 56% of indies saw increased year-on-year sales, while 31% reported decreases. Looking ahead, 76.6% of booksellers cited dwindling consumer confidence as their primary concern for 2025.

Brazil achieves record growth

Brazilian publishing exports reached $13.4 million in 2024, marking a dramatic increase from $3.67 million in 2023, according to the Brazilian Publishers Association. At Frankfurt, 28 Brazilian publishers generated $6.8 million in deals, while the São Paulo International Book Biennial's Professional Conference yielded $800,000 in business. The Guadalajara International Book Fair contributed $.7 million to revenue.

Spain to focus on reading promotion

The Spanish Publishers Guild Federation (FGEE) and Germán Sánchez Ruipérez Foundation announced a new partnership to strengthen reading promotion and publishing innovation and offer courses through the PARIX school—the organization’s online training program. The Spanish publishing industry generates over 4 billion euros annually and employs more than 30,000 people. In 2023, FGEE's 800 member companies, representing 97% of the sector's turnover, produced over 210 million copies across 85,000 titles in print and digital formats.

Norwegian audio market expands

Norwegian publishers reported an 11.3% increase in streaming revenues for 2024, reaching NOK 412 million. The market saw 14.1 million listeners, up 10.9% from 2023. Physical book sales showed resilience, with paperback sales increasing 2.4% to 2.7 million units, while hardcover sales declined 3.7% to 6 million units. Total publishing revenues, including streaming, reached NOK 1.48 billion, a 3.2% increase compared to 2023.

French market faces challenges

Blaming inflation, French publishers saw a 3% decline in book sales in 2024. Among the 68 million French citizens, 23 million purchased at least one book, with secondhand copies accounting for 18% of sales and e-books remaining under 5%. Independent bookstores saw a 0.9% drop in turnover and 2.4% decline in copies sold, despite a 1.6% increase in book prices. Political instability, including President Macron's dissolution of parliament, contributed to the drop as well, with bookstores reporting terrible results for the holiday season.

Italian market records declines

Italian unit sales fell 2.3% in 2024, with 2.4 million fewer copies sold compared to 2023, according to the Italian Publishers Association. Total sales reached 104 million copies, with value declining 1.5% to 1.534 billion euros. AIE President Innocenzo Cipolletta cited lack of consumer confidence as a key factor in the market's weakness.

Australian indies shows resilience

Australian independent bookstores reported varied performance across different markets and locations entering 2025. BookPeople's gift card program processed AUS $130,000 in store redemptions during 2024, with December alone seeing nearly 1,000 transactions totaling over AUS $36,000. Total gift card sales reached AUS $326,000 in 2024, with significant international growth, particularly from U.K. and Ireland buyers.

Swiss market stabile

The German-speaking Swiss book market was basically flat last year, with only a 0.2% decline. Unit sales fell 1.3%, while price increases of 1.0% helped offset volume decline. December sales grew 0.9% despite one fewer trading day. Local authors maintained a strong presence, with 11 Swiss titles reaching the fiction top 20.