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Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe - Market Size, Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecasts (2024-2029)

ISIC 4761 April 2024 Spotlight Report

Revenue

€30.6bn

2019-2024 7.7 %
2024-2029 X.X %

Employees

289k

2019-2024 0.5 %
2024-2029 X.X %

Businesses

121k

2019-2024 2.5 %
2024-2029 X.X %

Profit

€X.Xbn

2019-2024 X.X %

Profit Margin

X.X%

2019-2024 X.X pp

Wages

€X.Xbn

2019-2024 X.X %
2024-2029 X.X %

Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe industry analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted substantial financial hardships on physical bookstores in Europe due to store closures amid lockdown periods. As a result, brick-and-mortar outlets, particularly in France and Italy, have seen significant revenue drops. In contrast, online retailers like Amazon have enjoyed a hike in sales because of their attractive price deals and affordable delivery options. Physical bookshops are adopting modern strategies such as click-and-collect services and home delivery of books to keep up with competitors. Meanwhile, traditional print book sales are dwindling across Europe, with e-books and audiobooks gaining momentum. Industry revenue is forecast to slump at a compound annual rate of 7.7% to €30.6 billion over the five years through 2024, including a projected drop of 6.9% in 2024, when the average industry profit margin is expected to reach 8.4%.

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Industry Statistics and Trends

Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe key trends

COVID-19 caused European book retailers’ revenue to fall.

 

Bookstore closures during lockdown periods contributed to a huge financial loss financial loss.

Inflation reduces demand for books, newspapers and stationary.

 

European consumers cut back on discretionary spending, including items like books and stationeries, limiting revenue growth in the industry.

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Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe

Industry Revenue

Total value and annual change from 2011-2029. Includes 5-year outlook.

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Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe market size (2019-2024)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 7.7 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €30.6bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Traditional bookstores adapt to pandemic challenges with new strategies

  • Book retailers, especially in France and Italy, faced a significant slump in revenue amid the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. Bookstore closures during lockdown periods contributed to a huge financial loss financial loss.

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Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to decline over the next five years.

The industry continues to face short-term threats owing to ongoing inflationary pressures

  • The International Monetary Fund (IMF) suggests that although inflationary pressures are subsiding, returning to pre-pandemic levels in the short term is unlikely. Most European countries won't reach target levels until 2025, and for some, not until 2026.

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Revenue

€30.6bn

2019-2024 7.7 %
2024-2029 X.X %

Employees

289k

2019-2024 0.5 %
2024-2029 X.X %

Wages

€X.Xbn

2019-2024 X.X %
2024-2029 X.X %

European Leaders & Laggards

Europe Job Growth CAGR: 0.5 % *
  • Job Growth

Top 5 Countries

  1. Slovakia +11.8%
  2. Romania +9.5%
  3. Lithuania +8.9%
  4. Austria +7.0%
  5. Bosnia & Herzegovina +0.2%

Bottom 5 Countries

  1. Serbia -17.4%
  2. Ireland-2.1%
  3. Germany-1.3%
  4. United Kingdom-1.2%
  5. Iceland -1.1%

* CAGR values are for the years 2019-2024.

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Biggest companies in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue (€m)
2024
Profit (€m)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024
Lagardère Travel Retail
7,206.0
332.8
4.6
Thalia Bücher GmbH
650.1
33.1
5.1
Faber-Castell Aktiengesellschaft
543.5
543.5
100.0

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Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe

Products & Services Segmentation

Industry revenue broken down by key product and services lines.

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Top Questions Answered in this Report

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What is the market size of the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing industry in Europe in 2024?

The market size of the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing industry in Europe is €30.6bn in 2024. 

How many businesses are there in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe industry in 2024?

There are 121k businesses in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing industry in Europe, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.5 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing industry in Europe grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing industry in Europe has been declining at a CAGR of 2.5 % between 2019 and 2024. 

What is the forecast growth of the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing industry in Europe over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing industry in Europe is expected to decline.

What are the biggest companies in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing market in Europe?

The biggest companies operating in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing market in Europe are Lagardère Travel Retail, Thalia Bücher GmbH and Faber-Castell Aktiengesellschaft

What does the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe include?

Books and Newspapers and magazines are part of the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe?

The company holding the most market share in Europe is Lagardère Travel Retail.

Which countries have the most businesses in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing industry in Europe?

The European country with the most businesses in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing industry is Italy.

How competitive is the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing industry in Europe?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing industry in Europe.

Related Industries

This industry is covered in 37 countries

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Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

This industry entails specialised retail stores selling books, newspapers and stationery. These items are purchased directly from wholesalers, book publishers, newspaper publishers and stationery manufacturers. Stores that operate solely online are excluded from this industry. E-books and audiobooks are also not included in the industry.

Related Terms

E-COMMERCE E-BOOK SPECIALISED STORES

What's included in this industry?

BooksNewspapers and magazinesStationery

Companies

Lagardère Travel RetailThalia Bücher GmbHFaber-Castell Aktiengesellschaft

Industry Code

ISIC 2006

4761 - Retail sale of books, newspapers and stationary in specialized stores in Europe

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Performance

Key Takeaways

Traditional bookstores adapt to pandemic challenges with new strategies

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Revenue Highlights

Trends
  • Revenue
  • 2024 Revenue CAGR
  • Revenue Volatility

Employment Highlights

Trends
  • Employees
  • Employees per Business
  • Revenue per Employee

Business Highlights

Trends
  • Businesses
  • Employees per Business
  • Revenue per Business

Profit Highlights

Trends
  • Total Profit
  • Profit Margin
  • Profit per Business

Current Performance

Charts
  • Revenue in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe industry (2011 -2029)
  • Employees in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe industry (2011 -2029)
  • Business in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe industry (2011 -2029)
  • Profit in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe industry (2011 -2029)
Analysis

What's driving current industry performance in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe industry?


Outlook

Analysis

What's driving the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe industry outlook?


Volatility

Analysis

What influences volatility in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe industry?

Charts
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth Matrix

Life Cycle

Analysis

What determines the industry life cycle stage in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe industry?

Charts
  • Industry Life Cycle Matrix

Products and Markets

Highlights

Trends
  • Largest Market
  • Product Innovation

Key Takeaways

E-books are becoming more popular. While printed books remain the industry's primary revenue driver, their domination is being challenged by the increasing popularity of e-books and audiobooks.

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Products and Services

Charts
  • Products and Services Segmentation
Analysis

How are the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe industry's products and services performing?

Analysis

What are innovations in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe industry's products and services?


Major Markets

Charts
  • Major Market Segmentation
Analysis

What influences demand in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe industry?


International Trade

Highlights

  • Largest Importer
  • Smallest Importer
  • Total Imports into Europe
  • Largest Exporter
  • Smallest Exporter
  • Total Exports into Europe
Heat maps
  • Industry Concentration of Imports by Country
  • Industry Concentration of Exports by Country
Data Tables

Value and annual change (%) included

  • Number of Imports and Exports by European Country (2024)

Geographic Breakdown

Business Locations

Heat maps
  • Share of Total Industry Revenue by Region (2024)
  • Share of Total Industry Enterprises by Region (2024)
  • Share of Total Industry Employment by Region (2024)
  • Share of Total Industry Wages by Region (2024)

Industry Geographic Breakdown

Data Tables

Values and annual change provided for 37 European countries:

  • Revenue (2024)
  • IVA (2024)
  • Enterprises (2024)
  • Employment (2024)
  • Exports (2024)
  • Imports (2024)

Competitive Forces

Highlights

Trends
  • Concentration
  • Competition
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer Power
  • Supplier Power

Key Takeaways

Concentration remains low in the industry thanks to independent stores. These small shops, offering unique customer experiences and local ties, diversify the market and resist domination by large chains.

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Supply Chain

Charts

Buyer and supply industries

Companies

Market Share

Charts
  • Industry Market Share by Company (2019-2024)

Companies

Data Tables

Top 10 companies by market share:

  • Market share (2024)
  • Revenue (2024)
  • Profit (2024)
  • Profit Margin (2024)

Data Tables
  • Countries of operation for Lagardère Travel Retail
  • Countries of operation for Thalia Bücher GmbH
  • Countries of operation for Faber-Castell Aktiengesellschaft
  • Countries of operation for Weltbild D2C Group GmbH
  • Countries of operation for Waterstones Booksellers Ltd
  • Countries of operation for Fnac Darty SA
  • Countries of operation for WH Smith plc
  • Countries of operation for The Works Stores Ltd
  • Countries of operation for Heinrich Hugendubel Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG
  • Countries of operation for Blackwell UK Ltd

External Environment

Highlights

Trends
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key Takeaways

Book retailers must adhere to regulations safeguarding customer rights. These regulations, centred around the EU's Consumer Rights Directive, standardise consumer rules such as pre-purchase information and order cancellation rights across all EU nations.

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External Drivers

Analysis

What demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe industry?

Financial Benchmarks

Highlights

Trends
  • Profit Margin
  • Average Wage
  • Largest Cost

Key Takeaways

Profitability in the industry faces threats from online price slashes and shrinking disposable income. Factors like rising merchandise costs, Amazon's lower pricing because of its reduced operation costs, and declining customer confidence are straining profit margin.

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Cost Structure

Charts
  • Share of Economy vs. Investment Matrix
  • Industry Cost Structure Benchmarks:
    • Marketing
    • Depreciation
    • Profit
    • Purchases
    • Wages
    • Rent
    • Utilities
    • Other
Analysis

What trends impact cost in the Book, Newspaper & Stationery Retailing in Europe industry?


Key Ratios

Data tables
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)

Country Benchmarks

European Leaders & Laggards

Data Tables

Top and boottom five countries listed for each:

  • Revenue Growth (2024)
  • Business Growth (2024)
  • Job Growth (2024)

European Country Performance

Data Tables

Rankings available for 37 countries. Statistics ranked include:

  • IVA/Revenue (2024)
  • Imports/Demand (2024)
  • Exports/Revenue (2024)
  • Revenue per Employee (2024)
  • Wages/Revenue (2024)
  • Employees per Establishment (2024)
  • Average Wage (2024)

Structural Comparison

Data Tables

Trends in 37 countries benchmarked against trends in Europe

  • Concentration
  • Competition
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Buyer Power
  • Supplier Power
  • Volatility
  • Capital Intensity
  • Innovation
  • Life Cycle

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Methodology

Where does IBISWorld source its data?

IBISWorld is a world-leading provider of business information, with reports on 5,000+ industries in Australia, New Zealand, North America, Europe and China. Our expert industry analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build an accurate picture of each industry.

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and IBISWorld's proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights. 

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools.

To learn more about specific data sources used by IBISWorld's analysts globally, including how industry data forecasts are produced, visit our Help Center.