Upcoming Trade Shows in Germany for Books

The German book publishing industry, known for its rich literary tradition and diverse market, is navigating a challenging landscape marked by shifting consumer behaviors and economic strains. Consumer confidence in the German market has hit what's being described as an all-time low. Retail foot traffic in city centers still lags significantly behind pre-pandemic levels. Companies within the book industry are grappling with rising costs for energy, raw materials and staff wages. Printing costs for books have seen a substantial 21.1% increase compared to May 2021, a sharp contrast to the 3.8% rate in December. Notably, the price of graphic paper and cardboard has surged, registering a staggering 58.2% increase in May 2022 compared to the previous year. Despite these challenges, physical bookstores remain a significant player, representing the largest sales channel for books. They generated €3.76 billion in revenue; that’s 39.1% of the market share. However, this sector faced a 3.6% decline compared to the previous year and a notable 12.3% drop compared to 2019. On the other hand, the internet book trade is on the rise. Bookstores’ online shops saw 16.2% increase in turnover, reaching €2.61 billion in 2021. That’s nearly half of this growth. In the broader market, the Internet book trade’s share reached 27.1% in 2021, which was even higher to the numbers in 2020. Examining the general public book market, excluding textbooks and reference materials, local bookstores have made significant strides in online business during the ongoing pandemic. The growth rate for booksellers’ online shops in 2021 outstripped Amazon's with a growth rate of 43.7%, compared to the e-commerce giant’s 18.4% pre-pandemic levels. As the book publishing industry in Germany adapts to changing dynamics and rising costs, it demonstrates resilience. Both physical and online retailers play vital roles in serving readers’ needs and foster a culture of literary appreciation.