Bloomsbury predicts solid growth in book sales

Bloomsbury has predicted that book sales will continue to surge in both digital and traditional formats in the years ahead, with the industry in a good position for growth.

It comes after the publisher revealed that sales of the Harry Potter books have boomed following the release of the final film adaptation of J. K. Rowling's novels, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

It revealed that July and August saw a significant increase in the number of all seven Potter books being sold, consistent with a trend observed following the release of the previous films in the franchise.

Sales of hardbacks, paperbacks and e-books all increased, Bloomsbury noted, with another contributing factor being the recent announcement of the Pottermore website, which will provide readers with extra information to complement their reading of the titles.

Nigel Newton, chief executive of Bloomsbury, commented: 'In July and early August we have seen a significant improvement in sales compared to the soft conditions in previous months, partly attributable to strong e-book downloads for summer holiday reading.'

He noted that the significant amount of interest in the likes of the Man Booker Prize and Samuel Johnson Prize will ensure UK book sales remain healthy in the months and years to come.