Children: a market which is holding up

The book market for children (up to 14 years) within trade channels is estimated to be worth 202.2 million euro at cover prices. This figure excludes - because they are not monitored - sales in stationery shops, post offices, large scale retailers specialising in toys (Toys Center, Giocheria etc.) or infant products (Prenatal etc.) and those in which certain publishers have an almost monopoly position. Also excluded are sales of collectable items for children (often attached to DVDs) sold at newsstands.
If we limit ourselves to trade channels (chain bookstores, independent bookshops, large scale retailers, online bookshops) the market share of the children's segment amounts to about 14% of the 1.4 billion euro generated by these channels as a whole.
Between 2008 and 2011 sales of books for children and young people grew a little more than the average recorded for total sales in trade channels: +8.2% compared to +7%. 2011 was no exception. In the face of a slight fall in value within trade channels (-0.5%), sales of books for children and young people nevertheless went up by +2%.
As Luigi Cagnola of Edicart says, «despite the fact that 2011 was not one of the best years for children's publishing [although coming from +5.7% in 2010 Editor's note] and the opening months of 2012 remain difficult, the sector is holding up well. There are products which, thanks to low prices, are giving good results in bookshops and large scale retail outlets as well as stationery shops».