Sales show love for books

Publishers say figures prove hunger for books in all forms shows no sign of waning

Book sales reached £5.7 billion last year – a record-breaking year for the UK publishing industry.

Figures from the Publishers Association revealed sales were up 5% from the previous year, while export income also rose by 8% to £3.4 billion in 2017 – consolidating the UK’s place as the No 1 exporter of books in the world.

Hardback books helped power the record year, with a 31% rise in sales to £97 million, while sales of audio-books increased 25% to £31 million.

Fiction and non-fiction sales also rose, by 3% and 4% respectively.

Meanwhile, the sale of school digital books was up 32%, suggesting use of digital teaching resources is becoming more prevalent, while non-fiction digital book sales rose by 4%, suggesting consumers are increasingly reading books on their devices.

Stephen Lotinga, chief executive of the Publishers Association, said the results were proof that “society’s love of books in all forms shows no sign of waning”. He added: “Publishers are catering to modern consumers who are reading books in different formats across different platforms, but still showing a very significant attachment to the printed word, as we continue to see the resilience and popularity of print across publishing sectors.

“Export income has increased significantly and this is testament to the high regard UK publishers, authors and their work are held in around the world — and the appetite of readers for them.”

Mr Lotinga previously warned Brexit could have a damaging impact on the publishing industry’s export business. In April, the organisation released a 10-point Brexit blueprint for publishing, which urged the government to ensure Britain remained the world’s publisher after it leaves the EU.

Mr Lotinga said: “Our sector’s success is supported by certain things which enable it to thrive. These include free access to global talent and ideas, a strong system of intellectual property rights which incentivises new thinking and creativity, freedom of speech and freedom to publish, unrestricted access to global export markets, and fair digital markets. These must not be traded away during negotiations in the broader interests of striking new FTAs, either now or after we leave the EU.”