The French Books Mediator confirmed that Amazon's recent strategy of delivering books free to lockers to circumvent minimum fee laws is illegal. The Bookseller reported that in a second--more detailed--opinion on the issue, mediator Jean-Philippe Mochon again concluded that the practice violated the 2021 Darcos law. Mochon's first report was released in February 2024.
The 2021 law set a minimum fee of €3 (about $3.40) for book deliveries worth up to €35 (about $39.80), but exempted click and collect from outlets selling books and, according to Mochon, by extension to deliveries to checkouts or customer-reception counters.
Amazon had claimed that providing book deliveries free to nearly 3,000 points across the country would not hurt booksellers because the points are located in small towns and rural areas. Mochon's report, however, argued that "it ignores the reality of the network of booksellers (of all kinds) in France and parliament's support for them."
The French Booksellers Association (Syndicat de la Librairie Française) praised the mediator's "firm and unambiguous confirmation" that Amazon's free deliveries to lockers are outside of the law, adding that the SLF deplored the "disdain with which the American platform treats French law."
An Amazon spokesperson contended that the reports from the Book Mediator "clearly confirm that book delivery can be free when the book is picked up in any store that sells books," and the distinction between lockers and counters made by the Book Mediator has no real basis in law.
Mochon told Livres Hebdo that a new law should not be required to remedy the problem: "A judge could take up the question but that means that someone has to do it."
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Trading House BMM, a Russian book distributor, sent a letter to bookshops in the country with a list of 37 titles--including works by Jeffery Eugenides, Bridget Collins, Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek, Japanese novelist Ryu Murakami, and a number of Russian writers--that should be returned or destroyed immediately. BBC News reported that the order "comes amid growing Kremlin censorship since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has targeted books featuring anti-war sentiment, LGBTQ themes, and criticism of Russia's leadership."
The newly banned books were released in Russia by the publishing houses Ripol Classic and Dom Istorii, which are affiliated with BMM. Sergei Makarenkov, the head of Ripol Classic, said: "I think [the list] is most likely connected to the anti-LGBT law. This needs to be clarified with BMM... I can't clearly explain to you what has happened here.... Such lists appear everywhere now, it's become completely routine."
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The Booksellers Association of the U.K. & Ireland and Bookshop.org U.K. are combining their respective Book of the Month campaigns for June into a "one-off" partnership to celebrate Independent Bookshop Week 2025 (June 14-21). The Bookseller reported that the hope is a "united, turbo-charged" promotion of a single title--No Small Thing by Orlaine McDonald--will 'galvanize' readers to support independent bookshops, in person or online."
Emma Bradshaw, head of campaigns at the BA, said: "Partnering with Bookshop.org to amplify No Small Thing is a perfect example of how we can work together to support and champion independent booksellers in meaningful and practical ways."
Jasper Sutcliffe, head of business development at Bookshop.org, added: "By combining our platforms and aligning on No Small Thing, we hope to bring this brilliant book to a wider audience and reinforce our shared mission of helping independent bookshops thrive."