In 2021, the French Parliament voted in favour of adopting the Darcos Law, which sets a minimum delivery fee of €3 for all online book purchases under €35. For purchases above €35, books can be shipped from €0.01. The aim of the law is to level the playing field in the French books sector by countering retail giants' aggressive commercial practices of shipping individual books for as little as €0.01.

Prior to the the European Commision's authorisation, they have opened a consultation to hear from relevant actors in the French book sector.

Today, EIBF submitted its contribution to the European Commission's consultation on the French measure, fully supporting the position and arguments laid out by our members, the Syndicat de la librairie française (SLF) and the Syndicat des distributeurs de loisirs culturels (SDLC).

EIBF Co-President Jean-Luc Treutenaere said: "The Darcos Law is supported in France by all booksellers, from the most important chains to the smallest independent stores. We are all united to fight the players who are eager to sell books at a loss in order to gain customers on any other products. This law would lead to fairer competition and is beneficial for the environment. With more than 4000 bookstores and more than 15 000 points of sales, France offers a dense network, making it possible for every person to either buy a book near their home or to collect it for free through click & collect."

SLF President Anne Martelle added: "The Darcos Law is a very important piece of legislation that will hopefuily prevent the damaging practices of the bigger online players. The entire French book chain is a unit on this matter"

You can find our contribution attached, as well as the full consultation on the following link. You can submit your input until midnight on January 16 2023.

EIBF attended Brussels Book Fair’s first seminar on green issues in the book sector, called “the environmentally-conscious book”  

On Thursday 30 March, a half-day seminar on the environmental and social sustainability of books and the book industry was held as part of the program of the Brussels Book Fair, which took place from March 30 to April 2, 2023. This first inter-professional seminar, organized by the Association pour l'écologie du livre (Association for the Sustainability of the Book), brought together speakers from across the sector to spark dialogue on environmental issues in the book sector.   

This afternoon of panels, bringing together professionals from the trade, highlighted many environmental issues in the book sector, such as problems linked to overproduction, the second-hand book market, the theme of bibliodiversity, which is cultural diversity applied to the world of books, and also sustainability trainings in the book world.  

This conference was introduced by Mélanie Mazan, coordinator of the Association pour l'écologie du livre, an association created in 2019 as a response to what it observed as a "disposable book economy", in which overproduction and excessive wastefulness reigned. With the goal of enhancing the book sector’s environmental responsibility, the Association pour l'écologie du livre now advocates a profound transformation of the book ecosystem through interprofessional collaboration, awareness-raising, and training for professionals. 

The first panel covered the topics of overproduction, returns, recycling and pulping, and possible alternatives to remedy these problems, and was moderated by Laura de Heredia from L’Association pour l’écologie du livre. Laura opened the session by recounting figures collected from Syndicat National de l'Édition (the French Publisher’s Association), which states that between 2018 and 2022, 26 thousand tons of books were pulped each year. This soaring figure can be accounted for by several issues in publishing, such as the problems of faulty printing, the difficulty of estimating the quantity of print runs, but also the importance of the cost of storage, which inescapably influences the problem of returns and eventually books being pulped.  

The panelists discussed many alternative solutions, including the possibility of pooling certain purchases for publishers, meaning that they would work with one common printer. Furthermore, an interesting idea to avoid pulping damaged books would be to print additional covers separately and replace only the damaged covers in order to be able to sell the books in new condition. Additionally, the possibility of donating unsold books to NGOs or other aid organizations was raised as another alternative to bring down the number of pulped books. This would only be possible with the author’s agreement and provided that the respective organization does not resell the books. The speakers finally agreed on the pivotal necessity to apply a long-term perspective, by reviewing the supply chain to move away from the economy of scales.  

The conference then continued with a presentation on the relevance of selling used books by French sociologist Vincent Chabault, who conducted a long-term study on this subject in his book Le livre d'occasion : Sociologie d'un commerce en transition. The benefits of second-hand books, such as the fact that they extend the life of a book, were discussed during this round table. For example, Chabult highlighted the disadvantages of this new market, mentioning the carbon footprint of individualized delivery, the potential tendency to accelerate consumption. 

The topic of bibliodiversity was also broached and the importance of diversity and sustainability in the book sector was emphasized. Moreover, the need to value the contribution of smaller voices of the sector was highlighted, as for example Belgian francophone publishing houses in relation to bigger French publishers, and the diversity they bring to the trade by introducing new perspectives and stories.  

Finally, the afternoon ended with a panel on trainings on sustainability issues in the book industry. It focused on how you can train young people in the sustainability issues in the book world and on the need to offer continuous trainings for the already established actors in the book supply chain. 

Overall, this first conference on the theme of book ecology allowed for discussions around fundamental issues to review the ecosystem in the book industry. Professionals in the field were able to discuss the problems they face while also sharing potential solutions. During this enlightening afternoon, we were reminded of the fact that our sector is indeed facing many difficult challenges now and in the years to come as we move towards a greener path. However, we were also reminded that the will and determination that is necessary for the industry to become both socially and environmentally sustainable can already be found on all levels of the book supply chain, and there are many ways in which we can move forward together.  

The European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL) recognises emerging fiction writers from the European Union and beyond. Engaging the 41 countries participating in the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, the Prize celebrates 41 outstanding new literary talents across a cycle of three years. Spotlighting the creativity and the diverse wealth of Europe’s contemporary literature in the field of fiction, EUPL aims to encourage the circulation of literature within Europe and encourage greater interest in non-national literary works. 

Following a successful 2022 edition which introduced changes to the overall organisation of the Prize, a seven-member European jury made of literary experts with professional influence now awards one overall winner accompanied by five special mentions. This year, the jury is composed of:

• Koukla MacLehose
• Andrey Kourkov
• Imre Barna
• Sheila O'Reilly
• Svetlozar Zhelev
• Henrik Francke
• Sharon Galant

We are pleased to announce the #EUPL2023 winner: 

•  Martina Vidaić, Stjenice (Bedbugs), Publisher: Naklada Ljevak, for Croatia

This year’s five special mentions are, in alphabetical order by country:

• Χάρη Ν. Σπανού (Hari N. Spanou), Φυλάκιο (The Outpost), Publisher: Εκδόσεις Αιγαίον (Aegan Publications), for Cyprus
• Tõnis Tootsen, Ahvide pasteet. Ühe ahvi mälestusi ja mõtteid (Pâté of the Apes: One Primate’s Thoughts and Memories), Publisher: Kaarnakivi Seltsi Kirjastus, for Estonia
• Iida Rauma, Hävitys (Destruction), Publisher: Siltala Publishing, for Finland
• Maud Simonnot, L’heure des oiseaux (The Hour of Birds), Publisher: Editions de l’Observatoire, for France
• Ag Apolloni, Kësulëkuqja, përrallë për të rritur (Red Riding Hood, a fairy tale for adults), Publisher : Bard Books, for Kosovo

Thirteen countries participated in EUPL 2023: Armenia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Poland, Sweden. The 13 national nominees were revealed on 7 March 2023, one for each participating country. The authors and their novels were nominated by national entities, knowledgeable about the literary scene in their countries and used to promoting their national literature abroad. 

All nominated authors will be continuously promoted on a European stage, aiming to reach a wider and international audience, as well as connect with readers beyond their national and linguistic borders.

The EUPL is organised by a Consortium of associations comprising the Federation of European Publishers (FEP) and the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), with the support of the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.

Mariya Gabriel, the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth said: “Books are very dear to my heart. This is why I launched the Day of European Authors this year, and today is another beautiful opportunity to celebrate European literature. My warm congratulations go to Martina Vidaić for winning the European Union Prize for Literature in 2023, and to the five authors who have received a mention! Your work is a reflection of the talent and creativity of the European literary scene.  I cannot wait to dive into your books, and I hope that many other readers will do the same.”

Ricardo Franco Levi, FEP President said “The jury has designated the books it sees most likely to “travel” and meet new readership outside of their borders. I wish to congratulate the winner, the shortlisted authors and all the nominees. I hope that all their books will attract translators and publishers across Europe. Having a better understanding of the realities, even fictional, of our fellow Europeans can only help grow our sense of a common destiny.”

Jean Luc Treutenaere, co-President of EIBF, said: “It is a pleasure for me to congratulate the EUPL 2023 winner and special mentions as well as all of this year's nominees. These brilliant emergent authors' works represent the richness of our European culture and the diversity of European contemporary literature. I wish them all a successful literary career and many great books that will fill the shelves of bookshops all around Europe and beyond and that will cross borders and help us understand each other better.”

‘Resilience, Innovation and Sustainability for the Enhancement of Bookselling’, or RISE Bookselling in short, is a three-year, EU co-funded programme organised by EIBF. Since its launch in early 2022, RISE Bookselling has been working to create a real network of international and European booksellers, bringing them closer together while upscaling their resilience by providing them with key tools and insights they can put into practice in their shop.

Through RISE Booksellers Exchange Programme, participants spend a few days at a foreign colleague’s bookshop, learning about national trade specificities and about how their counterparts handle their daily business on the ground. The RISE support programme to attend international/national sectorial events enables booksellers to attend events such as Frankfurt Book Fair or BolognaBookPlus & Bologna Children’s Book Fair. Participants are granted the opportunity to join their colleagues and engage with other professionals and experts from the industry on various important topics within the trade and thus raise visibility of the wider book chain. Through RISE Bookselling activities, new friendships have been formed, new business partnerships established and much knowledge has been exchanged across borders.

But that is not all that RISE Bookselling can offer the bookselling community. The Let’s Talk bookselling podcast series gives booksellers a platform to share best practices and what they do best across their own borders. The podcasts offer listeners new insights into various aspects of the bookselling industry. The ‘Industry Insights’ research papers analyse key issues for the bookselling sector by collecting information from several network members’ countries, thus improving the understanding of important sectorial issues beyond national borders. Moreover, RISE Bookselling also represents and advocates on behalf of the bookselling sector towards policy-makers and the wider public. Following two workshop series on sector specific topics, advocacy campaigns will be launched. The two studies which will be produced as result of the campaigns will be essential assets to mobilise effective support and deliver policy change at sectoral, political and public societal levels.

RISE Bookselling Conference 2023

RISE Bookselling Conference 2023 symbolized and embodied the spirit and the objectives of the RISE Bookselling programme: on 19-20 March 2023, the first European and international bookselling conference of its kind to ever take place gathered up to 250 booksellers and key stakeholders of the book sector (authors, publishers, distributors etc.) from all over the world in one place, allowing them to meet, network and discuss priority topics for the book sector. Delegates from over 20 countries enjoyed a packed programme of panels covering a wide range of priority topics for the book trade such as sustainability and green bookselling, inclusion and representation, and innovation in the trade; and brilliant keynotes which inspired, moved and amused the audience. The milestone event reinforced cross-border bookselling, created a sense of belonging to an international community that abides by European values, and facilitated a better understanding among European booksellers.

On our dedicated Conference page, you can watch highlights from our inaugural conference, browse through our photo gallery, read a recap of the conference and download some of the presentations and other workshop materials.

The second edition of the RISE Bookselling Conference will take place in Lisbon, Portugal on 17-18 March 2024.

Keep yourself up to date with RISE Bookselling activities! Sign up to the RISE newsletter and follow RISE Bookselling on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This last month, EIBF has been fully involved in stakeholder dialogues and consultation meetings with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) on two important own-initiative reports for the European bookselling industry: the Future of the European book sector and the implementation of the 2021-2027 Creative Europe Programme. Let’s break them down.

The European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) announced earlier this year its intention to draft an own-initiative report on “The future of the European book sector”. The report, as it is initiated by the Parliament and not by the European Commission, will be non-legislative, meaning that any position taken by the Parliament within the report will not be legally binding or enforceable. However, it will still be approved by the entire European Parliament, therefore reflecting their joint position on the topic and remaining a very helpful initiative which can be used in future lobbying efforts at EU level.

Polish MEP Tomasz Frankowski, from the European People’s Party political group (EPP), was appointed rapporteur responsible for the file. As a leading organisation representing the book sector at European level, EIBF was asked for input to help shape the report.

Following consultation with EIBF membership, EIBF’s Director Julie Belgrado and our Policy Assistant Tora Åsling met Mr Frankowski and his team for an exchange of views. During the meeting, the EIBF team presented the most pressing current and upcoming issues for the European bookselling sector, as well as the main challenges the sector is facing, and the necessary support needed to become more competitive in the years to come. The main points emphasized during the meeting were the following:

• Reading promotion: it is imperative to support reading promotion initiatives, particularly for younger generations. A cultural voucher is an example of a tool introduced in several European countries which has been proven to be a real added value.
• Partnership with libraries and schools: this relationship is vital and relies on local procurement being implemented as much as possible.
• Means to compete: bookshops need the means to be part of the digital market, especially when it comes to the sale of audiobooks. There also should be fair delivery fees for all retailers, no matter their size.
• Ecological transition: Booksellers need to, and want to, be part of the ecological transition. However, they need the means and support to do so. Some changes achievable at retail level, such as green energy transition, require support from different governmental levels.
• Better traceability of books, for ethical and environmental transparency, as well as to allow for more conscious curation.
• Data: there is a current problem with lack of accurate data in the book sector. A European Book Observatory, similar to the European Audiovisual Observatory, would be a game changer to gain better insight into national markets.
• Skills: in the context of the current European Year of Skills 2023-2024, it is important to promote book sector jobs to the younger generation. There are currently very limited trainings in Europe that encompass all necessary aspects to become a bookseller.
• Creative Europe: there should be further opportunities for booksellers under the programme’s ‘culture strand’ and other activities. Furthermore, this report should be put in perspective with the own-initiative report on the implementation of the Creative Europe Programme, explained below.

As for the next steps, the draft report will be published imminently. It is then expected to be discussed and adopted in the CULT Committee around July and voted on by all MEPs during the plenary session of September or October this year.

With regards to the second file, EIBF was invited to speak at the European Parliament to feed into the discussion assessing the "implementation of the Creative Europe programme for 2021-2027". More specifically, this is another CULT report in the European Parliament, led by Italian rapporteur Massimiliano Smeriglio (S&D political group).

EIBF Director, Julie Belgrado, who was accompanied by EIBF Policy Advisor Daniel Martín Brennan highlighted several important points to be made within the scope of the report and the Creative Europe Programme:

1. Our network project, RISE Bookselling, is a project inspired by booksellers, for booksellers, that was developed out of the many lessons learned during the pandemic. It was made possible thanks to the Creative Europe programme and has been a really added value for the sector.

2. Because of its value, the Creative Europe's budget should not decrease in the future.

3. International involvement should be clarified. EIBF has many international members that bring real added value to the network. However, their countries are not members of the Creative Europe Programme. The extent and degree of their involvement should explicitly and clearly defined.

4. As far as the book sector is concerned, this report should be put in perspective with the one introduced above on the Future of the book sector

5. The next generation of the programme should consider developing further opportunities under the ‘books and publishing’ strand, particularly for bookselling. Over the past years, bookshops have been hailed as safe spaces, cultural hubs and even considered essential is some countries. They are key components of a knowledge society and are fully aware that they have their part to play in tackling todays challenges. We firmly believe the untapped potential of the Creative Europe programme ‘books and publishing’ strand is an ideal tool to do just that.

6. On the long-term, the programme considers the integrant part that data plays in today’s economy, and more specifically within the book sector. Mastering their own data allows booksellers to do many things: from better stock management that will ultimately reduce their ecological footprint, to better understanding of readers’ demands.

Besides EIBF, many other cultural and creative industries’ representatives from the cinema, music and performance art sectors were also invited to provide their thoughts and experiences as beneficiaries of the Creative Europe Programme. We look forward to seeing our input included in the final report.

EIBF will continue to take part in stakeholder consultations and meetings wherever possible to represent the interests of the European bookselling sector at European political level.

Winter 2023 edition of EIBF Insights now available  

Welcome to a new edition of EIBF Insights, our quarterly newsletter dedicated to sharing news from the EIBF world and the wider bookselling industry.
 

In this edition, we are taking a closer look at the speakers of the upcoming RISE Bookselling Conference 2023, sharing EIBF's contribution to the European Commission's consultation on French minimum delivery fee for books, reflecting on our members' insights during the latest EIBF international call, inviting you to listen to our new RISE Bookselling podcast and sharing a book review by our member. Find out more in EIBF Insights 109.

On May 23, EIBF Policy Assistant Tora Åsling and EIBF Intern Alexandra Giovagnoli attended the 11th annual conference on European e-commerce which took place in Brussels, Belgium. Continue reading for a summary of the event.

Bringing together policymakers from the European institutions and its member states as well as stakeholders in online commerce, the 11th annual European e-commerce conference discussed current issues surrounding European e-commerce regulation. A wide range of issues arising from the digital revolution were broached, including the future of the digital single market, online consumer protection through the “New Consumer Agenda”, and sustainable e-commerce.

The rise of digital technologies is constantly modernizing our societies, requiring increasingly modern, future-oriented policies. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Commission has placed the digital revolution at the heart of its work. The European Commission’s Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, who introduced the conference, began by highlighting the importance of consumer protection in Europe’s digital market, at a time when 90% of consumers say they have been exposed to targeted advertising which makes them feel unsafe online. As Ursula Pachl, Deputy Director General of The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), pointed out, consumers are often vulnerable and at risk in online spaces as many tech-giants don’t comply with existing regulations on consumer protection, such as GDPR for instance. The European institutions should provide efficient support to consumers, both offline and online, she continued.

To counter this negative trend and increase consumer safety online, the European Commission has set up the "New Consumer Agenda" to give European consumers the means to play an active role in the green and digital transition. The New Consumer Agenda was launched by the European Commission at the end of 2020 and is to run for the next five years and will, for instance, involve tightening regulations on the transparency of product information provided online and better consumer protection in online commerce.

Another major issue discussed at the conference was the future of the digital single market. The Digital Single Market is a policy pursued by the European Commission to create the conditions for a digital single market within the European Union. This strategy is based on three objectives: improving access to digital goods and services throughout Europe, creating an environment conducive to the development of digital networks and services, and maximizing the growth potential of Europe's digital economy. The stakeholders agreed that regulating online commerce is crucial in order to allow European small and medium sized businesses (SMEs), like bookshops, to compete fairly in the online sphere. The existence of a digital single market would make it easier to understand the rules of a market that is constantly evolving. To harmonize the European digital market effectively, digital tools need to be put in place, notably through projects such as the "Singe Digital Gateway", to facilitate online access to information and administrative procedures for EU citizens and businesses. This platform provides an online service called "Your Europe", where businesses and individuals can be guided through the rules, rights and procedures established by EU law.

The sustainability of the digital single market is also at the heart of the contemporary challenges facing e-commerce. Pierre Hausemer, Managing Director at the Valdani Vicari & Associati group (VVA group), a public policy consultancy in Europe, spoke in particular about the survey they carried out on the environmental footprint of online commerce. Their survey revealed a significant lack of consumer understanding of online platforms, as well as the growing practice of greenwashing, which is a marketing technique designed to convey an embellished or even false image of a company's eco-responsibility. The various participants, i.e., European politicians and stakeholders in online commerce, agreed on the importance of “consumer coaching”, to create conscious consumers. To achieve this, they need to be provided with the information they need to make it easier for them to make conscious decisions and buy sustainable products. 

Finally, all the stakeholders agreed on one of the central problems of the digital single market which is the failure to comply with and enforce existing legislations especially so when it comes to tech giants, but it also applies to SMEs, as some laws and their application are confusing to smaller businesses. Indeed, the participants agreed that it is now necessary to focus on the application of laws rather than bringing in more. It has been observed that non- compliance with the law is very often unintentional, due to a lack of information for SMEs. The introduction of guidelines accompanying new laws was mentioned, to enable SMES to be guided in complying to the regulations that concern them.

Overall, this conference on e-commerce in Europe allowed professionals to address fundamental issues about the future of online commerce in Europe. The stakeholders in the sector were able to discuss the challenges of the digital revolution, while at the same time coming up with potential solutions. The conference taught us that there are many challenges ahead in the field of e-commerce, particularly in terms of protecting consumers online, ensuring the sustainability of the digital single market, and improving law enforcement to help both big and small businesses, including bookshops, participate in the digital transition.

Libri.Campus, Germany's largest training event for the independent book trade, celebrated last 11-12 May the 20th edition of its annual event. Always set around a theme or issue concerning the book industry, the 2023 programme revolved around the goal of getting to understand young readers and ran under the motto ‘Generation Book’. 

Following this symbolic milestone in the history of Libri.Campus, we had a discussion with Alyna Wnukowsky, Spokeswoman for the Management Board of Libri, who guides us through the contributions that Libri.Campus has made to the book sector over the years, and how it stands as a valuable platform for booksellers to connect, gain knowledge a thrive in the industry. 

Where does the idea of the Libri.Campus come from?

The concept behind the Libri.Campus is to empower the independent book trade. These locally owned bookstores ensure the visibility of books even in rural areas. However, amidst their day-to-day operations, booksellers often struggle to keep up with current trends. Today, the Libri.Campus is the largest educational event for independent booksellers.

What specific solutions can Libri.Campus provide to booksellers/the bookselling sector?

The Libri.Campus provides a platform for learning, idea-sharing, deep-diving into topics, and simply having a great time together. It's important to note that booksellers are the true experts in their own businesses. We merely provide them with the space to connect and exchange experiences, along with knowledge from industry experts and valuable data. For instance, this year, we collaborated with the German Publishers and Booksellers Association and conducted a survey involving 30 young adults to understand their reading habits and buying behavior. Additionally, we commissioned a GfK evaluation on the purchasing behavior of young book buyers. Drawing upon these evaluations and others, we engaged in collaborative discussions at the Libri.Campus.

Each year, the Libri.Campus focuses on a central theme. In 2022, the emphasis was on sustainability and the impact of values in the book trade. This year's theme was "GENERATION BOOK." How did this approach come about?

In the German book market, we observe a decline in young readership every year. However, it's also worth noting that young people are now spending more money on books compared to five years ago. To summarize, while we have fewer young readers, those who do read are highly enthusiastic. This led us to ask ourselves: How can we spark excitement about locally owned bookstores among young book lovers? How can we reach a broader audience of young people? And most importantly, how can we understand their desires and establish effective communication channels?

©Libri-photo-Philipp-Bögle

At Libri.Campus you place a lot of emphasis on practical approaches. Where do these ideas come from? 

We work with project groups, where a team of booksellers develops ideas related to the Libri.Campus's main theme prior to the event. This year, a group of fourteen booksellers focused on the young target audience and tested their ideas within their bookshops during their day-to-day operations. At the live event, these fourteen booksellers form the "project group" and present their results on stage. The response has been fantastic, with fellow booksellers in the audience expressing enthusiasm. All these ideas have yielded positive outcomes within a few weeks and can be easily implemented, regardless of the size of one's bookstore.

How has booksellers' engagement with Libri.Campus evolved over the years? Can you summarize its impact on the bookselling sector?

The Libri.Campus has become a crucial industry gathering that booksellers eagerly anticipate each year. The trade press also takes a keen interest in the event and it`s topics. Ultimately, every successful bookstore adds to the diversity of our industry.

How do you look at the future of Libri Campus?

The Libri.Campus has always been attuned to the spirit of the times and will continue to be so. Our goal has always been to identify the challenges that the independent book trade will face in the future at an early stage. This will remain our guiding principle in the years to come. It's a priority on our agenda.

©Libri

EIBF is pleased to announce the publication of the Global Bookselling Markets report for 2022, which explores current trends in the sector, analyses the impact of inflation on bookshops and highlights the different development paths they could take in the future. 

2022 has been a year of transformation and transition for the bookselling industry, following two unprecedented years of disruption. When looking at the overall book sales numbers from all the analysed markets, we can observe two distinct trends across the globe. Half of the analysed markets experienced a clear decrease in book sales last year, while the other half reported stability and, in some cases, a positive development in turnover. 

Broadly speaking, this decline can be explained by two main factors. On the one hand, the exceptional circumstances in 2021: after months of closure, bookshops reopened, boosting sales to a 10-year high, especially at Christmas. Thus, if 2022 sales data still display some positive and encouraging results, they appear very modest when compared to the preceding year. On the other hand, the inflation rising throughout 2022 and the energy crisis, partly caused by the outbreak of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has limited readers' purchasing power, as well as pushed up production costs within the sector.  

That said, when taking a closer look at each of the analysed markets we can see that their performance throughout 2022 has been very diverse. In some cases, the complete return to physical spaces has boosted brick-and-mortar sales. As for digital sales, several of the analysed countries report more modest numbers than in 2021. 

The report is based on a survey carried out by EIBF over the past semester. National booksellers associations and EIBF associate members from sixteen countries have responded to a questionnaire, providing an insight into the state of play of their respective markets and the potential directions that the sector could be heading in: Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States. 

You can access and download the full report here.

On January 25, at Winter Institute 11, Civic Economics and the American Booksellers Association released a groundbreaking new study, “Amazon and Empty Storefronts,” which details the overall negative impact that Amazon has had on Main Street retailers and jobs, and the communities in which they are located, across the country.

While Amazon generally receives substantial subsidies and tax breaks from states and municipalities for opening warehouses staked on the premise that these warehouses will create thousands of jobs, the national results are quite the opposite. Even counting all the jobs in Amazon distribution centers, Amazon sales produced a net national loss of 135,973 retail jobs, and the study showed that a total of more than $1 billion in revenue is lost to state and local governments.

“This unprecedented study makes abundantly clear the deleterious effects on the American economy resulting from Amazon’s strategy of retail dominance,” said ABA CEO Oren Teicher. “It’s our hope that the facts included in this report will help policymakers and the public better understand the need for more diversity in the marketplace and help them recognize the potential long-term costs of the loss of healthy local economies.” (For the complete study, executive summary, or individualized state summaries, click here.)

See more at www.bookweb.org