By Carlo Carrenho, Contributing Editor
Among the headlines this week, audiobooks continue to grow in the U.K.; why Latin America represents a huge opportunity for audiobook publishers; Poland explores a fixed book prices; and a French program seeks to help incarcerated individuals start careers in bookselling.Keep Calm and Listen On
According to NielsenIQ BookData’s
just released 10th annual Understanding the U.K. Audiobook Consumer study, audiobook consumption rose 5% in volume (reaching 36 million units) in 2025 in the U.K., with revenues up 11% (exceeding £270 million/$364 million).
While the number of new listeners ticked slightly down (41%, down from 47% in 2024)—more than a third have now been engaged for three years or more, signaling a maturing market. “Medium” listeners (those who listen to 4-10 titles annually) are also playing a larger role in the marketplace, with “heavy” listeners’ share of consumption falling from 85% in 2016 to 53% today. Smartphones remain the dominant listening device and multitasking behaviors—commuting and exercising while listening for example—are at five-year highs. The report finds that genre demand is diversifying with Romance, True Crime, Self-Help, and Business all gaining ground.
Publicly shared extracts from the report also indicate that physical audiobooks still account for an estimated 17% of U.K. units and roughly 20% of revenues—an unexpectedly resilient share. By comparison, Germany’s CD segment is now at 7%. The strategic importance of “medium” listeners’ growth is also notable. As heavy users account for a smaller share of total consumption, the industry may need to recalibrate its focus toward more occasional, cross-media consumers rather than concentrating primarily on core enthusiasts.
Fnac Darty: Iberia Cheers, Italy Shrugs
As reported by ActuaLitté, Fnac Darty closed FY 2025 with revenue of €10.33 billion ($12.2 billion), up 0.7% on a like-for-like basis, driven by services and online sales. Book sales declined slightly in a market described as having “no significant new releases.”
Online revenue rose 5.8% and now represents 22% of total sales, with nearly half generated through Click & Collect, while marketplace activity and subscription services—expected to reach around 2.4 million subscribers by year’s end—supported digital growth. Like-for-like performance varied by market. Posting gains: France (0.5%); Belgium-Luxembourg (1.8%); Portugal (7.3%); Spain (6.6%), and Switzerland (5.2%). Italy declined 1.1%.
Although Fnac Darty is not a pure bookseller, its scale makes its results a significant indicator for the French and the wider European markets. The growing online share—now 22% of total sales—stands out, as does the contrast in national performance, which appear to reflect broader publishing trends. Notably, the figures come as regulators review Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský’s takeover bid, as his EP Group is seeking to acquire a majority stake at Fnac Darty and assume control.
Mexico Turns Up the Volume
In an interview with Forbes México, Audible CEO Bob Carrigan identified Mexico as a key growth market, noting that 57% of Mexicans have consumed audio content—podcasts or audiobooks—and that 87% of audiobook listeners report reading more as a result. Carrigan does not rule out entering other Latin American territories, stating that he sees “a major opportunity” across the region. Over the past two years, Audible has produced nearly 2,000 Spanish-language titles, many recorded in Mexican studios. Carrigan also observed that AI could help close the gap between print and audio availability, while noting that Audible hired more human narrators last year than ever before.
Mexico has become a crossroads for platforms targeting Spanish-language audio. Audible operates in the country through its U.S. website, offering a Spanish-language catalog priced in Mexican pesos. Storytel remains a presence despite having reduced its focus and investment, and Everand and Bookmate also have traction there. Brazil-based Skeelo has also expanded into Spanish, prioritizing Mexico. At the same time, smaller local players such as Beek have exited the market. Yet, as Carrigan suggests, the opportunity extends well beyond Mexico: more than 300 million Spanish speakers live in the 17 Latin American countries outside Mexico, and the broader Latin American market remains largely underdeveloped—and full of potential—for audiobook platforms.
Manga Goes Digital, Print Says Arigatō
HON.jp reports data from Japan’s Research Institute for Publications showing that the country’s combined print and digital comics market declined 1.7% in 2025 to ¥692.5 billion ($4.4 billion)—its first drop since 2017. Print tankōbon—the collected volumes of serialized manga—fell 14.4% to ¥126 billion ($807million), and comic magazines declined 12.7% to ¥39.2 billion ($251 million), reflecting a combined 14% contraction amid an ongoing digital shift and convenience store distribution disruptions. Digital comics rose 2.9% to ¥527.3 billion ($3.4 billion), accounting for 76.1% of the total market—more than double 2019’s ¥259.3 billion ($1.7 billion)—though growth is slowing as the segment matures.
The figures again raise the question of whether digital is cannibalizing print or compensating for its decline. A more constructive reading suggests that while format shifts are inevitable, cannibalization is not inherently negative so long as the overall market continues to expand. The key concern is whether the shift results in a net contraction, as seen this year. With digital now representing three-quarters of the market and growing—offsetting some print losses—attention turns to 2026 to see whether Japan’s manga sector can return to overall growth.
Poland Calls in the Economists to Fix Prices
As reported by Rynek Książki, the Polish Book Chamber has published a simulation study by Michał Bernardelli of the SGH Warsaw School of Economics assessing the potential introduction of a fixed book price in Poland. Drawing on two years of NielsenIQ BookData, the report finds that a properly designed fixed cover price could be viable if two conditions are met: reducing the official cover price to reflect current effective selling prices after discounts, and renegotiating trade margins across the supply chain. Bernardelli argues that Poland’s current unregulated environment—without fixed pricing, mandatory sales reporting, or institutional financial support—limits transparency and disproportionately affects smaller publishers and independent bookstores.
Debates over fixed pricing for books continue globally—from Brazil and Slovenia to Scandinavia (where Sweden operates without fixed prices while Norway maintains a comprehensive system)—while the concept remains unfamiliar in the U.S. market. Fixed pricing can clearly support small and medium-sized bookshops and can help protect market diversity. But such economic interventions can also have other consequences. As the Polish research underscores, without adjustments such as lower cover prices and renegotiated margins, which there is no guarantee that publishers and larger retailers would support—fixed pricing could actually result in higher consumer prices—particularly for bestsellers—while allowing dominant players to retain a larger share of the final selling price.
In Germany, When It Comes to AI, Size Matters
As reported by Börsenblatt, the Börsenverein—the German Book Trade Association—and consultancy Highberg have released a study showing growing but uneven AI adoption across Germany’s publishing sector. Some 69% of publishers are now using AI for content creation and editing; 66% for brainstorming; and 49% for marketing. Yet only 31% have a formal AI strategy in place. The report suggests the divide between large and small houses is widening: 53% of publishers with annual revenue above €10 million say the opportunities presented by AI outweigh risks, (up from 39% a year earlier) while 33% of publishers under €1 million in revenue see the risks outweighing opportunities, compared with 10% previously. Legal uncertainty (56%), internal data quality (45%), and output quality (38%) remain key barriers.
The widening gap in how AI adoption is perceived between large and small German publishers is striking and potentially troubling, as it suggests deepening structural inequalities within the market. While AI can function as an efficiency tool, publishing faces a distinct challenge compared to other sectors: language is its core raw material of publishing. But an all-or-nothing approach—either rejecting AI entirely or embracing it wholesale—is unrealistic, despite legitimate concerns about legal and qualitative risks.
Belarus: When Publishing Becomes Dangerous
The Ukrainian literary publication Chytomo, reports that that security forces in Belarus capital Minsk have carried out coordinated searches and detentions targeting publishers and booksellers. The operation, as first reported by Belarusian weekly Nasha Niva, reports that in some cases, multiple members of the same family were detained and phones inspected, and that the publisher Tekhnologiya, founded in 1988 and regarded as the first private publisher in the country, has suspended operations following the raids. No official reason for the raids were disclosed. The news comes as controls over literature have tightened in recent years, with George Orwell’s 1984 banned in 2022 and 50 additional titles added to the prohibited list in early 2025.
Separately, a press release from Swedish PEN reports that Belarusian authorities have classified all digital channels of PEN Belarus—including its website and social media—as extremist material. Operating in exile from Poland since 2021, PEN Belarus now faces a situation in which possession of its content can result in detention of up to 15 days.
We must recognize how troubling and unacceptable these developments are. Threats to freedom of expression pose serious risks to cultural life and the publishing ecosystem. And the report from Belarus underscores the vulnerability of independent publishers, booksellers, and writers, and highlights the need for continued international solidarity. This column extends its support to colleagues in Belarus and expresses hope for a swift change in circumstances.
France Gives Inmates a New Chapter
ActuaLitté reports that L’École de la Librairie, France’s national reference institution for bookseller training, is introducing a first-of-its-kind qualifying program for incarcerated individuals, in partnership with the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Culture. Author Virginie Despentes has agreed to sponsor the inaugural class. The school is now seeking volunteer bookshops to host apprentices in 2026–2027.
The program stands as a notable example of how correctional systems can prioritize rehabilitation and reintegration through cultural and vocational training. By linking professional certification with the bookselling trade, the initiative highlights the social role of bookstores and the value of access to books in fostering community connection. The model could serve as a template for similar efforts internationally, aligning workforce development with a broader humanistic mission for the book sector. Félicitations, L’École de la Librairie!
What Else Caught My Eye
A rescue. The Guardian reported that firefighters in Sicily recovered around 400 rare books—including volumes from the 16th century—from a library in Niscemi left hanging over a precipice after a major landslide. Kudos to the Caltanissetta brigade.
A new chart. Billboard Japan has been publishing weekly book bestseller lists since October, expanding beyond its traditional music rankings. The charts cover the Top 100 books in Japan, with a dedicated category for manga, among others. Guess who is #1 this week!
A drink. The Brazilian stand at the London Book Fair (1D108) will once again host its traditional Caipirinha Hour on Wednesday at 5 p.m. Visitors are advised to arrive early, as the line tends to grow—and one drink may not be enough. Saúde!
An analysis. Andrew Beasley and Dewey Molenda launched Publiography with a power ranking of publishers on the New York Times Hardcover Fiction bestseller list, finding that just 68 imprints occupied all 780 slots in 2025. It is a deep and useful analysis that this column hopes is only the first of many.
A quote. Publisher Anne Godoff passed away last week. She leaves behind one of the publishing world’s most memorable lines: “I acquire with my gut and I publish with my heart.” Rest in peace, Anne Godoff.
A mistake. RBmedia mistakenly claimed in a press release that the Brazilian film The Secret Agent, directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho and nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, was an adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s novel of the same name. The press release was later withdrawn and replaced with a corrected version.
The writer of this column watched The Secret Agent twice in its original version and highly recommends the film. He holds controversial opinions about fixed book prices and incarceration, which he discusses only over caipirinhas. He has saved many books in his career but never fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming a firefighter—and it never occurred to him until now that one does not exclude the other.