Bad News For The Irish Market In Latests Nielsen Figures
The Irish Consumer Market (ICM) is showing a year on year decline approaching 10% according to the latest data from Nielsen Bookscan.
The Euro value of sales are down 9.3% to €97.8m while the volume of sales are down 9.6% to 9.4m units. The rate of decline in value terms has increased from figures released by Nielsen in October when value was only down 8.9%. However, the decline in volume has moderated slight down .1% on the same October’s figures.
The declines in the ICM are relatively consistent across broad sectors. The Fiction sector is down 8.8% to €28.6m in value, and down 9.7% to 3.0m units. Non-Fiction is down 9.4% to €46.2m, and down 9.2% to 3.3m units. The Children’s sector is down 9.5% to €22.5m in value, and down 9.7% to 2.9m units.
It is hard to imagine that out of a population of 4.6 million approximately three quarters of the population
are buying almost three books per head of population. Yet, bookshops are cutting back it seems on the less popular genre. Some close down. Perhaps the figures are ‘trade sales’ to be amended after the pulp factories, remainder shops and bonfires of the vanities have cleared the shelves. Perhaps ‘literature’ has become a luxury item to ornament shelves and coffee tables.