The European International Booksellers Federation has released Study on Consumer Behavior: Book-buying Trends, Reading Habits, and Customer Needs. Commissioned through its three-year EU co-funded project RISE Bookselling, the report was carried out by Belgian market research company Listen during the spring of 2024.
Presented to the public at the Frankfurt Book Fair yesterday, the report explores book trends in Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the U.K., and the U.S.
Surveying a sample number of people from each country, men and women, from 18 to 55-plus, the study reveals current trends in reading habits and consumer attitudes to book purchasing. This includes the different motivations respondents have in reading and buying books, their preferred genres and book formats depending on the country market, as well as the expectations from bookshop services and much more.
Although 81% of U.S. respondents said they had read a book in the past year, that total was surpassed by several other countries, including Italy (94%), the U.K. (92%), Ireland (91%), Spain (91%), France (88%), Germany (87%), Sweden (87%), the Netherlands (86%), Portugal (85%), Norway (84%), and Switzerland (83%). The average was 85%.
The report noted that American respondents "are particularly fond of the enjoyable atmosphere they find in independent bookshops, as highlighted by an impressive 51% response." In addition, 66% of American respondents have purchased a book in the last 12 months, though "second-hand books are more popular among American respondents than among the average of study respondents, with 42% of them reporting buying second-hand, compared to the 35% average."
EIBF co-president Fabian Paagman commented: "In a rapidly evolving world marked by digital transformation, changing consumer preferences, and the enduring impact of globalisation, booksellers face unprecedented challenges--but also remarkable opportunities. To navigate this dynamic landscape, booksellers need not only passion and dedication but also solid data and a deep understanding of their customers' habits, preferences, and needs."