• A paper crisis hits the book market.

  • Due to increased demand, printers and publishers are suffering from rising paper prices and lengthened delivery times.

  • From there to fear a shortage?

    No, assure the professionals: the French will find what they are looking for in bookstores for Christmas, at the same price as in previous years.

Planning to give your aunt 

Sorj Chalandon's

The Bastard's Child

on New Year's Eve?

Or the last Goncourt,

The most secret memory of men

, by Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, to your best friend?

Good idea ... But these books will still have to be on the shelves.

Because like many other raw materials, the paper market is under great strain, giving rise to fears of shortages.

Will the book industry then be ready for the Christmas season?

"Yes, there was a shortage of paper"

From the author to the publisher, including the stationer and the printer - not to mention the distributor - it is a question of "making the value chain of books possible", announces Hubert Pédurand, Managing Director of La Nouvelle Imprimerie Laballery, in Clamecy (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté). A chain disrupted, as we have said, by the paper crisis at work.

While demand for paper has soared along with the revival of global economies, this market retains the mark of a pandemic that has shaken up habits and smiled on certain sectors. “The Covid-19 has become packaging's best friend,” points out Hubert Pédurand. With the health crisis, online orders have exploded. And therefore the cardboard requirements. “The wood was in great demand,” continues the businessman. So much so that during the health crisis, Brazilian pulp suppliers [among the main producers in the world] seized this opportunity. “Papers intended for book publishing require an expensive transformation, and Brazilian suppliers have made choices,” summarizes Hubert Pédurand. Yes, there was a shortage of paper ”.

And who says shortage means longer delivery times, further aggravated by the health restrictions linked to the pandemic.

“French, Nordic and German paper makers take two to three times longer to deliver to printers,” notes Paul-Antoine Lacour, general delegate of the French Confederation of the paper, cardboard and cellulose industry (Cocapel).

Concretely, we go from three weeks to six weeks, even two months, ”he adds.

With regard to orders placed with publishing houses, delays have also been noted.

"Our customers are individuals, classic booksellers, and authors", explains Guy Migrenne, co-founder of Lys Bleu Editions, independent publisher.

He noted a delay of "6 to 10 working days".

Spared novels and pocketbooks

Hence the initial question: and for Christmas? The current stocks in bookstores contradict the idea of ​​a shortage. "For books and paperback novels, which are industrialized, I see no danger for the end of year celebrations", reassures Hubert Pédurand. On the other hand, with regard to more elaborate books, such as cookbooks, photos, or even for children, delays in deliveries are noted. Noémie works in the La 25ème Heure bookstore, in the 15th arrondissement of Paris. "The delivery of the orders of youth albums that we have recently placed are a few weeks late, because they are blocked in China," she admits.

Also, the paper used to print "beautiful" books is not the same as that used to print paperback novels.

The "fine paper for the Pléiade - a collection published by the Gallimard editions - is not the same as for the comics", illustrates Paul-Antoine Lacour, of the Cocapel.

No price hike in sight

Less supply, prices up by 15 to 35% depending on the references ... Faced with the new price list for printers, small and medium-sized publishing houses are struggling.

But the big publishing houses, assures Hubert Pédurand, have been able to adapt.

“Hachette, Editis or even Médias-Participations were able to withstand this inflation (…), he confirms.

The big groups, which publish 60 to 70% of the books on the market, will in no way face a shortage until the end of the year ”.

The French will therefore be able to please their loved ones with a good book.

And without paying more than in previous years.

“Let’s not pass judgment on this period,” concludes Hubert Pédurand.

Let's wait for the 2022 data to assess whether the tensions turn into a real crisis ”,

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