France, a land renowned for its literary tradition, is facing a growing problem: the overproduction of books and the subsequent destruction of unsold copies. A recent report by the Agence de la transition écologique (ADEME), based on data from the Syndicat national de l’édition (SNE), reveals alarming figures about the scale of this issue and its environmental consequences.
The French book market operates on a supply-driven model, with a vast number of new titles released each year (36,819 in 2023, according to the SNE). This abundance of new releases leads to a significant disparity between the number of books produced and those actually sold. As the ADEME report highlights, this difference results in substantial stockpiles held by distributors, who are compensated by publishers for storing these books for potentially more than a decade. The SNE estimates that over a billion copies are currently in stock.
A significant portion of these unsold books ends up being pulped. Between 2021 and 2022, 13% of shipped books were destroyed, representing a staggering 25,000 tonnes out of 36,900 tonnes of returned books – that’s 67% of all returns. In 2023, this figure remained high, with 25,000 tonnes pulped, accounting for 60% of the total 41,000 tonnes of returned books.
The unsold rate has also seen an increase, rising to 22% in 2023 from 19.3% between 2021 and 2022. While the actual return rate from retailers to wholesalers is around 21%, this is partially offset by sales from existing stock.
This issue of unsold books has sparked debate within the French book industry, particularly among publishers and booksellers. Many point to the sheer volume of new releases as the core problem, calling for a slowdown in production. As Anne Martelle, president of the Syndicat de la librairie française, has stated, this overproduction is detrimental to diversity. Independent publishers also struggle to compete for shelf space in bookstores due to the flood of new titles. While larger publishers, especially those within industrial groups, claim to have reduced their release schedules, many industry players believe that the current reduction is insufficient.
In 2023, French publishers produced 36,819 new titles, a 5% decrease compared to 2022, and 457 million copies in total (including reprints), down from 536 million in 2022. Interestingly, the average weight of produced books increased from 384g to 408g in 2023, suggesting fewer, but thicker, books.
To address the issue of unsold books, the SNE is developing a tool called Filéas (Fils d’informations libraires, éditeurs, auteurs), designed to improve sales tracking and allow for better adjustments to production and distribution. This tool is expected to be available in 2025.
The ADEME report also notes a substantial negative balance in foreign trade, attributing this to French publishers relying heavily on printers located outside of France. The tonnage of paper used by the sector also decreased by 2% in 2023, reaching 195,300 tonnes – a level not seen in over a decade, and a significant drop from 279,000 tonnes in 2011.
Read the article on Actualitté.
