The e-book Has Not Yet Overtaken the Paper Book

Coinciding with the approach of Sant Jordi and the celebration of Book Day 2023, the price comparison website idealo.es launches the results of its study on the preferences of Spanish readers.

According to this study, the paper book continues to have an advantage over the e-book. The demand for books in physical format grew by 119% in Spain over the last year, making this format the preferred one for book lovers.

The price of books in physical format increased by 10.46% between March 2022 and March 2023.

Inflation also affects the ebook market, where the price increase during the same period was 9.38%.

Another fact that idealo.es reports is the popularity of self-help books, something that was already observed in last year’s research. Spaniards took refuge in this type of book during the most critical moments of the pandemic, with a six-fold increase in the search for titles compared to the period prior to the coronavirus, and they are doing so again in the face of the worsening economy and political and social conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Over the last year, demand for self-help books has soared by 47%.

“This data reflects the fact that reading has been a fundamental element for many during the pandemic and in periods of instability such as war”, says Kike Aganzo, head of communications at idealo.es, “and self-help books in particular have been an option for those who needed tools and resources to deal with uncertainty and stress”.