Books hold their own against digital rivals

Sales of ebooks plunged last year following bumper sales during the height of the pandemic.

Digital sales slumped 10 per cent in 2022, while sales of physical books fell by just 3 per cent, according to industry tracker Nielsen BookData.

A good read: Industry experts had worried for years that ebooks would kill off their paper rivals, but those fears proved misplaced

British shoppers bought 348 million books, worth £2.5 billion, last year. However, this was lower than in 2020 and 2021, when lockdowns boosted sales among readers stuck at home.

Industry experts had worried for years that ebooks would kill off their paper rivals, but those fears proved misplaced.

Audiobooks remained popular last year as eager listeners snapped up self-help and sci-fi titles. But growth has been slowing after the explosion of sales during the pandemic, which has been difficult to maintain.

Hit audiobooks included The Sandman Act III by Neil Gaiman, and Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? by Julie Smith.