Each year, the celebration of Book Day on April 23 serves as a backdrop for reflection on the complex reality of the publishing sector. In Spain, and particularly in Andalusia, the situation presents significant contrasts, where perception varies greatly among writers, booksellers, distributors, and publishers.
Recently, the XXVII Congress of Booksellers of CEGAL, the confederation that brings together a large part of these professionals, revealed that half of the books on their shelves do not sell a single copy. Furthermore, only 5% of the titles published in Spain sell more than one hundred copies. Despite these figures, booksellers still represent a fundamental pillar, selling four out of ten books purchased in the country.
Revenue from book sales in 2024 reached 1.2 billion euros nationwide, of which Andalusian bookstores contribute approximately 55 million euros. This figure contrasts sharply with the 2.1 billion euros invoiced in 2014, a year in which more than 900 bookstores closed across Spain, highlighting the impact of the rise of online sales.
According to a study by the Unicaja Foundation's Observatory of Letters, 11,888 publications were edited in Andalusia last year, double the number from a decade ago. This prolific production, which includes university magazines, translates into about 32 publications daily. However, the community has only 386 independent bookstores, a ratio of 4.5 per hundred thousand inhabitants, one of the lowest in the country.
“"There is an element that worries me about our future. We live in a society that finds it increasingly difficult to concentrate, whose attention is demanded by many devices. We are an industry that sells a product that needs a critical client, capable of concentrating."
The concern for the future of the sector is palpable. The increasing average age of traditional booksellers and the difficulty in finding generational replacements are significant challenges. A program to connect booksellers nearing retirement with entrepreneurs only succeeded in 26 out of more than one hundred cases nationwide, underscoring the fragility of many of these small family businesses.
Bookstore closures have become a constant. In Seville, the summer of 2023 was particularly harsh, with the cessation of activity of establishments with decades of history. In the Province of Cádiz, various trends have been observed: from closure due to retirement without succession, as in the case of the Jaime bookstore, to passionate customers taking over, as happened with the Manuel de Falla bookstore. Other models, such as the Málaga bookstore María Zambrano, have opted for expansion and job retention.
In this context, booksellers are advocating for a “guerrilla economy,” seeking new ways to attract the public. Examples of this resistance include bookstores that combine selling books with vinyl records and clothing, reading clubs, café-bookstores, and spaces that organize concerts or writing workshops, demonstrating the sector's creativity in adapting to new times.
