Are you considering buying a book for your valentine this year? We know booklovers are always on the hunt for good books, often thinking that prices vary depending on where they buy them. However, this isn’t always the case. Many customers are unaware that, in some countries, the price of books varies freely, while in others, the price is fixed.
This is why the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) prepared a series of infographics describing the situation in 16 countries across Europe and America, namely Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the USA. You can download the full series below.
First, let us have a look at the group of countries where the price of books is fixed. In those countries, the price can be fixed by law or by a trade agreement. This means that all retailers must offer the same titles at the identical pre-set price.
The law also sets a maximum discount rate, which varies from country to country. For example, the Netherlands had a fixed book price set by a trade agreement until 2005, when a new law on book prices was introduced, henceforth regulating book pricing by law instead. The fixed book price applies to all printed books in the Netherlands, except textbooks, and it does not apply to e-books. Students can get a discount of 5-10%. Moreover, in Austria the maximum discount is 5% (10% when bookshops sell to schools and libraries), while in Italy and Portugal the discount can go up to 20% at book fairs.
Usually, the price is only fixed for a certain period of time after the book has been published. To take the Netherlands as an example again, the price can be changed every 6 months. Similarly, in Slovenia the price is only fixed for 6 months after the book has been published, after which discounts can be applied.
Through (fixed book price), booksellers compete on the added value they provide with their services [...]
Prohibiting competition on price for books distinguishes books from other products and can help preserve cultural diversity.
Through this system, booksellers compete on the added value they provide with their services, such as their advice and offer, allowing some of them to specialize in a type of book, such as comics or travel. Prohibiting competition on price for books distinguishes books from other products and can help preserve cultural diversity.
Now, let’s have a look at the countries where books are priced freely. The Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Slovakia, Sweden, the UK and the USA are all examples of such countries. In these countries, the price of books is set freely, according to market value. However, some countries still feature a recommended retail price on books. Proponents of free book pricing argue that this is done in the public interest and in the interest of the consumer. For instance, the UK had a fixed book price through an agreement for most of the 20th century. However, that changed in the early 90s after two big chains started offering books at a discount. Soon after, the Restrictive Practices Court deemed the fixed price agreement was against the public interest, and it was dismantled.
Countries like Sweden have a recommended book price, though not on all books. Sweden has had a free book price since the 1970s, and currently only paperbacks feature a recommended sales price, often according to the alphabetical price scale, from lowest C to highest M.
The free pricing of books creates a competitive and resilient book sector, where bookshops tend to be spacious, resourceful and versatile.
The free pricing of books creates a competitive and resilient book sector, where bookshops tend to be spacious, resourceful and versatile.
Although there are different advantages to both book pricing systems, all booksellers, regardless of the pricing regime, enjoy a sense of community because they share the same passion for what they do.
Find out more about fixed/free book pricing in our infographics below!
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Austria EIBF Book Pricing Series.pdf | 98.33 KB |
| Czech Republic EIBF Book Pricing Series.pdf | 97.21 KB |
| Denmark EIBF Book Pricing Series.pdf | 99.53 KB |
| Finland EIBF Book Pricing Series.pdf | 92.94 KB |
| France EIBF Book Pricing Series.pdf | 103.7 KB |
| Germany EIBF Book Pricing Series.pdf | 102.39 KB |
| Ireland EIBF Book Pricing Series.pdf | 99.43 KB |
| Italy EIBF Book Pricing Series.pdf | 94.67 KB |
| Netherlands EIBF Book Pricing Series.pdf | 99.15 KB |
| Norway EIBF Book Pricing Series.pdf | 108.96 KB |
| Portugal EIBF Book Pricing Series.pdf | 99.99 KB |
| Slovakia EIBF Book Pricing Series.pdf | 102.87 KB |
| Slovenia EIBF Book Pricing Series.pdf | 102.56 KB |
| Sweden EIBF Book Pricing Series.pdf | 103.39 KB |
| UK EIBF Book Pricing Series.pdf | 107.07 KB |
| USA EIBF Book Pricing Series.pdf | 110.22 KB |
| EIBF Book Pricing Series - ALL.pdf | 42.23 MB |