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UK PA data find growth in audiobook, fiction sales

In the UK, data from the Publishers Association (PA) shows substantial growth in audiobook and fiction sales, reports the Bookseller.

The figures show audiobook sales in the first six months of the year were up 71% on the same period in 2019, from £45 million (A$84.3m) to £76 million (A$142.4m). Over the same time period, ebook sales were up 10%, from £121 million (A$226.8m) to £133 million (A$249.3m), and consumer print sales were up 6%, from £687 million (A$1.3b) to £731 million (A$1.4b).

Print consumer nonfiction sales over the same period were flat, with the first six months of 2019 at £427 million (A$800.4m), while digital consumer nonfiction is up 30% from £41 million (A$76.8) to £53 million (A$99.3m).

‘It’s fantastic to see that books have offered people entertainment and comfort in this difficult period,’ said PA CEO Stephen Lotinga. ‘UK publishers have continued to release books that engage readers across the UK and around the world. The steep rise of audiobooks is a truly interesting development as it may suggest that new demographics are embracing this format.’

 

Category: International news