Portuguese People Reading, But Not Buying Books

IN A CURIOUS paradox, according to a study done by Lisbon-based marketplace interrogator GfK for nan Portuguese Association of Editors and Booksellers (APEL), Portuguese group are reference more, but buying little books. More funny still, contempt nan study’s conclusions, nan publishing marketplace successful Portugal has shown a 9 per cent summation successful 2024 compared to 2023, pinch a gross income of €204 cardinal compared to nan erstwhile year’s €187 million.

According to nan study, 76 per cent of Portuguese group said they publication astatine slightest 1 book a year, besides higher compared to 2023 (73 per cent). However, nan mean number of books publication per person, arsenic good arsenic nan full mean number of books publication successful nan twelvemonth decreased: nan per-person mean fell to an mean of 5.3, down from 5.6 successful 2023; nan full number dropped to 7.2 from 7.9 successful 2023.

Reading for pleasure, according to nan GfK’s study, is practiced by astir 60 per cent of Portuguese group complete nan property of 15, and nan aforementioned group of group besides for illustration insubstantial books to integer editions, aliases ebooks. Among leisure readers, astir were women and/or betwixt nan ages of 35 and 54, though group betwixt nan ages of 25 to 34 showed nan highest reference rates. The group that astir commonly picked up a reference wont were adolescents and young adults betwixt nan ages of 15 and 24.

Despite Portuguese people’s unchangeable reference habits, nan number of group who bought books successful 2024 dropped from 65 per cent successful 2023 to 58 per cent.

Dedicated readers, but not capable of them

These alternatively contradicting statistic propose a arena successful Portugal, namely that Portugal’s already-established scholar guidelines remains stable, but that buying books and reference are not a rooted believe successful astir Portuguese families. Miguel Pauseiro, nan president of APEL, postulates this very mentation successful nan study’s dossier.

In addition, reference books must besides compete pinch nan highly addictive world of societal media, and different leisure pastimes including taste and sports events, exercising, and socialising pinch friends. Though Portuguese group are self-proclaimed readers, reference for pleasance ranks beneath each nan aforementioned activities successful nan state connected a nationwide scale. Notwithstanding, according to nan study, those who do not publication successful their free clip debar it owed to deficiency of liking (46 per cent), deficiency of clip (39 per cent), and a penchant for different leisure activities (35 per cent).

Mr Pauseiro, successful ray of nan study, claims that nan numbers are “promising, but reference is still not a widespread, regular wont successful Portugal.” Mr Pauseiro besides reiterated that Portugal’s readership is still acold beneath different European countries’ reference groups including Spain, Italy, and nan Netherlands. “The number of bookstores successful Portugal is critically debased compared to these countries,” added Mr Pauseiro.