IPA - International Publishers Association Inc.

04/30/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 04/30/2024 02:03

New Studies From Germany and France Shed Light on Young People’s Reading Habits

New Studies From Germany and France Shed Light on Young People's Reading Habits

Two new studies released this past month in Germany and France provide fresh insights into how young people discover, select, and buy books in today's digital age, with concerning results revealing a decreasing tendency to read among youth.

The first comprehensive study, commissioned by the German Association of Young Adult Book Publishers and the German Publishers and Booksellers Association, was conducted by Consumer Panel Services GfK "to find out more about the market for books for children and teens, books for young & new adults and the young people's target group as a whole. The main objective of the study was to understand how young people discover books, which selection criteria are relevant and how they buy books." You can access the study (in German) here.

The study produced the following findings, as reported by Publishing Perspectives:

  • "Spending on books for children and teens in Germany increased by 7.4 percent to €672 million (US$728 million) between 2019 and 2023.
  • In the same period, the number of books sold for children and teens fell from €66.6 million to €58.3 million or -12.6 percent (US$72.17 million to $63.18 million).
  • The average price paid for books in this genre rose by 22.8 percent, from €9.40 to €11.53 per book (US$10.19 to $12.50)-which, as Publishing Perspectives readers know, represents a trend toward rising book prices in at least several world markets.
  • The number of buyers of books for children and teens fell by 1.5 percent from 11.7 to 11.5 million.
  • The number of copies purchased per buyer fell from 5.7 to 5.1, but expenditure per buyer rose from €53.50 to €58.29 (US$57.98 to $63.17)."

The second study, on French youth and reading in 2024, was conducted by the National Book Center of France (CNL) and conducted by Ipsos, in order to understand the reading practices and perceptions of French youth aged 7 to 19. You can access the study (in French) here.

The study shows a clear decline in reading for teenagers, with some of the following findings:

  • Teenagers spend ten times as much time on screens.
  • 1 out of 5 respondents do not read at all for leisure.
  • 48% of respondents multitask while reading.
  • 42% of respondents have listened to an audiobook, which is twice as much as in 2016.

Both studies highlight the importance of understanding the evolving preferences and habits of young readers in today's digital landscape.