Five booksellers linked to two Hong Kong bookstores--Have a Nice Stay, founded by a group of former journalists, and the longstanding Greenfield Book Store--were arrested on Wednesday, suspected of "displaying seditious materials and selling seditious publications," the Associated Press (via NPR) reported, adding that the police operation was the third round of arrests targeting independent bookstores within four months.
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A police statement alleged that the content stirred up hatred against the city's government, judiciary and law enforcement agencies. Have a Nice Stay had already announced it would be closing on August 30, citing financial difficulties and "an elusive red line as being among the factors," the AP noted. The bookseller said that it cannot read through every single book and lacks the ability to judge what books are "problematic."
Hong Kong secretary for security Chris Tang said, "If you are a bookseller, you have the responsibility to make sure the books you sell won't endanger national security. It's equal to, for example, when you are selling food, you need to ensure the food won't cause a stomach ache and is not either poison or illegal."
Asked if authorities would make a list of banned books, Tang said that would not be conducive to effective law enforcement targeting titles that "intend to harm the country," the AP reported.
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The European & International Booksellers Federation has published its International Bookselling Markets Report 2024, combining quantitative market data with qualitative insights gathered from booksellers associations and industry stakeholders. The report offers insight into 20 national markets. It serves as a tool for understanding the state of the sector, informing EIBF's strategic work, and monitoring policy developments that affect booksellers.
Global book sales experienced a slight decline in 2024 compared to the previous year, with only six of the 22 analyzed markets recording growth, EIBF's report noted. The picture varies significantly by region: while many European markets remained stable, others, such as India, saw strong growth, highlighting the different dynamics shaping bookselling around the world.
Digital formats remain one of the most significant trends identified in the report. E-books and audiobooks increased their share of sales in more than half of the surveyed markets.
Beyond market performance, the report explores the wider challenges facing booksellers. Economic uncertainty, rising living costs, and ongoing geopolitical tensions have created additional pressure for businesses in many markets. Booksellers increasingly face challenges linked to their broader cultural role. As facilitators of access to diverse ideas and literature, they can become targets of political pressure from both public institutions and parts of civil society.
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In a new study, Scrolling Stories: E-book Use in Canada 2025, BookNet Canada reveals the buying, borrowing, and reading habits of Canadian e-book consumers. Among the highlights:
- 71% of Canadians read an e-book in 2025.
- 34% of all Canadian book buyers bought e-books and 29% of all Canadian book borrowers borrowed e-books last year.
- Canadian e-book buyers spent an average of $11.85 per e-book in 2025.
- E-book buyers were more influenced by price than all buyers: 41% of Canadian e-book buyers purchased their books at a specific location due to a good price, offer, or promo compared with only 29% of Canadian book buyers.
- 55% of Canadian e-book borrowers gave wanting to save money as the reason they borrowed rather than bought their e-books.
- More than half of all Canadian e-book readers in 2025 read between one and five e-books last year (59%).
- The largest share of e-book readers used their smartphones to read their books (36%).