While Germany's publishing industry proved resilient with a 9.386-billion-euro turnover in 2022, its 1.8% real-terms growth and booming audiobook segment signal a sector undergoing a fascinating digital and sustainable transformation.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the total turnover of the German publishing industry reached 9.386 billion euros, reflecting a 3.2% nominal increase compared to 2021.
- The trade book segment accounted for 75.2% of total publishing revenue in Germany in 2022, equating to approximately 7.058 billion euros.
- Germany's publishing market grew by 1.8% in real terms (inflation-adjusted) in 2022, outperforming the overall economy.
- Hardback books contributed 1.892 billion euros to revenue in 2022, 20.2% of total.
- Germany produced 78,990 new book titles in 2022, a slight decline of 0.8% from 2021.
- The number of new fiction titles released in Germany was 18,456 in 2022.
- Brick-and-mortar bookstores generated 4.212 billion euros in sales in 2022, 63% of total book retail.
- Online book sales in Germany reached 2.156 billion euros in 2022, 32.3% of market share.
- E-book sales totaled 478 million euros in 2022, 7.2% of consumer book revenue.
- The publishing industry employed 126,000 people in Germany in 2022.
- There were 2,145 publishing companies active in Germany in 2022.
- Average annual wage in German publishing was 52,300 euros in 2022.
- E-book market share projected to reach 12% by 2027 in Germany.
- Audiobook revenue expected to grow at 10.5% CAGR through 2027.
- 28% of Germans read e-books in 2023, up from 24% in 2022.
Germany's publishing industry showed steady growth in 2022, led by strong book sales and rising digital audio formats.
Digital and Future Trends
- E-book market share projected to reach 12% by 2027 in Germany.
- Audiobook revenue expected to grow at 10.5% CAGR through 2027.
- 28% of Germans read e-books in 2023, up from 24% in 2022.
- Subscription models for digital content rose 15% in publishing in 2023.
- AI usage in content creation adopted by 22% of German publishers in 2023.
- Sustainability initiatives cover 65% of paper used in German book production in 2023.
- Diversity in authorship increased to 18% non-white authors in new titles 2023.
- Online learning platforms boosted educational publishing by 8% in 2023.
- Digital publishing market to grow 5.2% CAGR to 2028.
- 35% of readers under 30 prefer audiobooks in 2023 survey.
- NFT and blockchain experiments by 8% of publishers in 2023.
- Open access academic publishing up 22% in titles 2023.
- VR/AR book experiences piloted by 5 major publishers.
- Personalized printing tech adopted by 41% of mid-size publishers.
- ESG reporting mandatory for 92% of listed publishers by 2025.
- GenAI tools for translation used by 19% in 2023.
- Metaverse book launches attended by 150,000 virtual users in 2023.
Digital and Future Trends Interpretation
The German publishing industry is rapidly evolving into a digital and diverse ecosystem, where e-books and audiobooks are gaining significant ground, sustainability and diversity are becoming standard, and publishers are cautiously experimenting with everything from AI to the metaverse to capture the next generation of readers.
Employment and Companies
- The publishing industry employed 126,000 people in Germany in 2022.
- There were 2,145 publishing companies active in Germany in 2022.
- Average annual wage in German publishing was 52,300 euros in 2022.
- Women comprised 62% of the publishing workforce in Germany in 2022.
- 45% of publishing employees held university degrees in 2022.
- Book printing employed 18,500 people in 2022, down 2.1% from prior year.
- There were 12,300 bookstores operating in Germany in 2022.
- Independent publishers numbered 1,890 in 2022, 88% of total firms.
- Turnover per employee in publishing averaged 74,500 euros in 2022.
- Publishing firms: 2,145, with 1,200 having over 10 employees.
- Total jobs: 126,000 including part-time equivalents at 98,500 FTE.
- Editorial staff: 28,000 employees, 65% female in 2022.
- Sales and marketing personnel: 15,200 in publishing houses.
- Production and design roles: 12,100 workers in 2022.
- Bookstore employees: 45,000 across 12,300 outlets.
- Freelancers in publishing: estimated 35,000 including authors and editors.
- Large publishers (>50 employees): 255 firms, 70% of revenue.
- Apprentice positions: 3,200 in publishing and printing 2022.
Employment and Companies Interpretation
Germany's publishing industry reveals a landscape of 12,300 bookstores and 45,000 booksellers serving a nation of readers, all while being powered by a highly educated, majority-female workforce of 126,000 people who earn a respectable living—despite the persistent shadow of print's slow decline and the towering influence of just 255 large firms.
Market Overview and Revenue
- In 2022, the total turnover of the German publishing industry reached 9.386 billion euros, reflecting a 3.2% nominal increase compared to 2021.
- The trade book segment accounted for 75.2% of total publishing revenue in Germany in 2022, equating to approximately 7.058 billion euros.
- Germany's publishing market grew by 1.8% in real terms (inflation-adjusted) in 2022, outperforming the overall economy.
- Export sales of German books reached 1.112 billion euros in 2022, representing 11.8% of total industry turnover.
- The schoolbook and educational publishing sector generated 1.209 billion euros in 2022, up 4.1% from 2021.
- Overall publishing revenue per capita in Germany stood at 112 euros in 2022.
- The German book market's share of the European publishing industry was 28.5% in terms of revenue in 2022.
- Inflation-adjusted growth in the German publishing sector was 1.2% in 2023 preliminary figures.
- Total industry revenue including journals and magazines hit 12.4 billion euros in 2022.
- The consumer book market (excluding educational) turnover was 6.677 billion euros in 2022.
- In 2022, the total turnover of the German book market excluding VAT was 9.386 billion euros with a 3.2% growth.
- Educational books revenue hit 1.209 billion euros in 2022, 12.9% of total market.
- The real growth rate of the book market was 1.8% in 2022 after adjusting for 4.1% inflation.
- German publishers exported books to 190 countries, generating 1.112 billion euros.
- Journal and magazine publishing added 3.014 billion euros to industry total in 2022.
- Per capita book spending in Germany was 112 euros, highest in EU after Nordics.
- Germany's share of global book market revenue estimated at 6.2% in 2022.
- Preliminary 2023 turnover projected at 9.55 billion euros, +1.7% nominal growth.
- Consumer books without textbooks: 6.677 billion euros, stable at 0.1% growth.
Market Overview and Revenue Interpretation
The German publishing industry proves it's not just for show, with a robust €9.4 billion in 2022 turnover where real growth outpaced the economy, per capita spending led the EU continent, and its books found homes in 190 countries, all while trade books comfortably bankrolled three-quarters of the operation.
Production and Titles
- Hardback books contributed 1.892 billion euros to revenue in 2022, 20.2% of total.
- Germany produced 78,990 new book titles in 2022, a slight decline of 0.8% from 2021.
- The number of new fiction titles released in Germany was 18,456 in 2022.
- Non-fiction new titles totaled 35,214 in 2022, accounting for 44.6% of all releases.
- Children's and youth books saw 12,890 new titles in 2022, up 2.1% year-over-year.
- Average print run per new title in Germany averaged 2,450 copies in 2022.
- Total book production volume reached 193 million copies in 2022.
- Audiobook new releases numbered 4,567 titles in 2022, a 15.3% increase.
- Religious and spiritual books had 2,345 new titles in 2022.
- Travel guides and maps category produced 1,089 new titles in 2022, down 3.4%.
- In 2022, 82,456 total titles including reprints and new editions were published.
- Fiction new titles: 18,456, with novels dominating at 12,340 units.
- Youth books new releases: 7,890, children's: 5,000 in 2022.
- Advice and practical books: 9,876 new titles, largest non-fiction subgenre.
- Total production copies: 193 million, average run 2,450 per title.
- Paperback new titles: 28,450, 36% of all new releases in 2022.
- Audiobooks: 4,567 new, with 68% fiction content in 2022.
- Science and academic new titles: 4,210 in 2022.
- Map and atlas new publications: 156 titles in 2022.
Production and Titles Interpretation
While Germany's publishers released a slightly smaller mountain of new titles in 2022, it was a mountain built to endure, as evidenced by the hefty contribution of hardbacks, a resilient uptick in youth books, and the thriving parallel universe of audiobooks.
Sales Channels and Formats
- Brick-and-mortar bookstores generated 4.212 billion euros in sales in 2022, 63% of total book retail.
- Online book sales in Germany reached 2.156 billion euros in 2022, 32.3% of market share.
- E-book sales totaled 478 million euros in 2022, 7.2% of consumer book revenue.
- Paperback books accounted for 55.4% of physical book sales units in 2022.
- Audiobook sales revenue was 312 million euros in 2022, growing 12.8%.
- Department stores and supermarkets contributed 189 million euros to book sales in 2022.
- Direct sales from publishers reached 145 million euros, 2.2% of total in 2022.
- Used book sales via online platforms approximated 250 million euros in 2022.
- Print book unit sales totaled 72.3 million units in the consumer segment in 2022.
- Bookstore sales: 4.212 billion euros, 50.4 million units sold.
- E-commerce book sales: 2.156 billion euros, 25.6 million units.
- E-books: 478 million euros, 3.4% unit share but growing.
- Hardcovers: 1.892 billion euros, 10.8 million units in 2022.
- Streaming audiobooks: 210 million euros of 312 million total audio revenue.
- Stationery and multimedia in bookstores: 567 million euros add-on sales.
- Export retail sales via chains: 89 million euros in 2022.
- Subscription book clubs: 112 million euros revenue share.
- Total physical book units: 72.3 million in trade segment 2022.
Sales Channels and Formats Interpretation
Despite their digital challengers, Germany's brick-and-mortar bookstores, with a lion's share of the market and bolstered by lucrative add-on sales, prove the printed word—preferably in paperback and ideally bought in person—remains a stubbornly well-loved and well-sold physical object.
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