Paris (AFP)

Bookstores have limited breakage in 2020, the overall activity of the profession posting a 3.3% decline in sales compared to 2019, thanks to massive purchases by readers during the few months of opening, the Syndicate of the French bookstore.

"The exceptional attendance in bookstores after the two periods of closure made it possible to avoid a disaster", explained the union in a press release, underlining the "very massive return" of readers in bookstores following the two periods of confinement: + 32% in June, + 35% in December.

These data were collected by the Bookstore Observatory, managed by the Syndicat de la librairie française.

This brings together 368 bookstores for a consolidated turnover of 390 million euros, or more than a third of the turnover of the profession.

The evolutions are contrasted according to the size of the bookstores, the largest having suffered the most from the closure.

The higher the turnover, the more the activity shrinks.

Thus, bookstores with sales of more than 4 million euros suffered an average drop of more than 9%.

One in five bookstores saw a drop of more than 10%.

The majority of shelves were down, with the exception of literature, comics and practical life, which together accounted for half of bookstore sales in 2020.

For tourism, the art book (closure of museums, cancellation of exhibitions) and academics, the poor performance was directly attributable to the health crisis.

A decrease in library purchases of more than 5% is also noted.

Bookstores, cataloged among businesses not essential to the second lockdown, were finally able to reopen at the end of November, and were therefore able to take full advantage of the wave of purchases during the Christmas period.

Many voices were raised to ask for their reopening, reading proving to be a psychologically valuable activity and in great demand when other cultural activities are stopped.

According to the union's estimates, during the second confinement, sales authorized to booksellers, by mail order and on their doorstep ("click and collect"), ensured up to 20% of turnover achieved in normal times.

© 2021 AFP