Finding reliable data on sales numbers, market shares, trends etc. in the literary field can be quite a challenge – in particular if there are players in the field who provide this kind of data for (large) fees. Here is a list of links to statistics that are accessible and potentially useful.
UK
- Publishers Association “UK Publishing Diversity & Inclusion Survey 2019” (January 2020) (link to PA site; key findings and report download)
- Melanie Ramdarshan Bold: BookTrust Represents – Representation of people of colour among children’s book authors and illustrators (April 2019) (link to the report, pdf)
- Excerpt from the Publishers Association Yearbook 2016 (26 April 2017) (link to the PA press release)
- Hannah Furness: “Books are back: Printed book sales rise for first time in four years as ebooks suffer decline.” The Telegraph 13 May 2016. (link to the article)
- Spread the Word: Writing the Future: Black and Asian Writers and Publishers in the UK Marketplace (2015). (link to the report, pdf)
- Annual Review from the Booksellers Association 2014 (link to the report) – and from previous years (link to the BA website)
- The Bookseller: “The bestselling books of 2014” (17 February 2015) (link to the online article)
- Publishers Weekly: “The Worlds 57 Largest Book Publishers, 2015” (26 June 2015) (link to the online article)
Germany
- Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels: “Wirtschaftszahlen” (several sources, some in English, most in German, last accessed June 2020) (link to website)
- Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels: turnover and sales chanels for 2018 (in German) (link to website)
- Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels: book production, translations and licensing for 2018 (in German) (link to website)
- Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels: “Economic figures for the industry, 2016” (link to pdf, in English)
- Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels: “Buch und Buchhandel in Zahlen 2016 (für 2015)” (link to pdf in German)
- Frankfurter Buchmesse: “Books and the book trade in figures, 2013” (link to Frankfurt Bookfair website, pdf in English)
- Frankfurter Buchmesse: “Books and the book trade in figures, 2014” (link to Frankfurt Bookfair website, pdf in English)
- Sales figures and sales channels for publishing in Germany, Austria and Switzerland: free monthly newsletter by the Börsenverein des deutschen Buchhandels (link to the newsletter registration form)
France
- A study on graphic novels (BDs) in France (August 2020) by the Centre National du Livre (CNS) (link to website; link to key stats (pdf) – all in French)
- Key statistics for the French book trade 2017-2018, published by the French Ministry of Culture (March 2019) (link to the website; with link to pdf (in French))
- Key figures 2018 by Société des Gens de Lettres (SDGL): trade data, authors, publishers, buying behaviour, ebooks (link to the website (in French))
- L’Édition en Perspective 2017-2018″, Annual Report of the Syndicat National de l’Édition (SNE) (link to the pdf (in French))
- Key statistics for the French book trade 2016-2017, published by the French Ministry of Culture (14 March 2018) (link to the website; link to the pdf (in French))
- Key statistics for the French book trade 2015-2016, published by the French Ministry of Culture (22 March 2017) (link to the website; link to the pdf (in French))
- Frankfurter Buchmesse: “France. Social and economic information” (2015, for 2014) (link to Frankfurt Bookfair website, pdf in English)
- Key statistics for the French book trade 2013-2014: “Économie du Livre. Le secteur du livre: chiffres-clés 2013-2014” (par l‘Observatoire de l’économie du livre du Service du livre et de la lecture de la DGMIC). 19 March 2015. www.culturecommunication.gouv.fr (direct link to the report)
Other countries
- Information about Georgia including “The book market in Georgia” (p. 37) (Press Information by Frankfurt Book Fair – Georgia was Guest of Honour in 2018) (link to the pfd, English)
- Statistics about the Polish Book Market (Press Information by Frankfurt Book Fair, THE MARKETS conference) (link to the pfd, English)
International Associations
- European and International Booksellers Federation: www.europeanbooksellers.eu
- International Publishers Association: www.internationalpublishers.org
- International Alliance of Independent Publishers: www.alliance-editeurs.org
