The choice not to finance the 18 app had a negative impact not only on lost sales, but also on the training of a new generation of readers.
According to an analysis presented by the President of the Italian Publishers Association (AIE), based on data from NielsenIQ-GK, the replacement of the 18 app, together with the lack of funding for libraries, had repercussions on the book market, which grew by only 1,5 percent, instead of reaching the estimated value of 2,5.
With the adoption of such initiatives, sales of books would have reached a total of 1.596,5, but with the replacement of the 18 App and the introduction of the Culture and Merit cards, sales dropped by approximately 63 million.
During the final day of the XLII Advanced Training Seminar of the Umberto and Elisabetta Mauri School for Booksellers in Venice, the President of the Aie Innocenzo Cipolletta stated that
“the analysis of the measures to support the demand for books in our country from 2017 to today tells us two things: the first is that these measures have had a multiplier effect over the years, helping to create new readers and new buyers. The second is that they have allowed the sector to reach a higher level of sales and turnover, necessary to support the process of growth and evolution of companies and the supply chain”
Right now, the Culture Commission of the Chamber is voting on the amendments to the Culture Decree. It would therefore be a good opportunity to evaluate measures useful for supporting the growth of new generations of readers.
Marcus Barbatus
Article published on 1 February 2025 - 10:25
The article talks about the difficult situation of the book market and how the lack of funding for 18App has negatively affected it. It would be interesting to know if there are alternative plans to improve the situation and how to involve more readers.