UK digital book sales 'quadrupled in 2010'
3rd May 2011
Sales of digital books quadrupled in the general titles category in 2010, new industry figures suggest, rising from GBP 4 million to GBP 16 million.
Data issued by the Publishers Association shows that overall digital sales reached GBP 180 million last year, with the sharpest rise in interest among novels and consumer titles.
The rapid rise in e-reader sales in the second half of 2010 illustrates how the technology is 'making an impact' in the world of literature, according to Richard Mollet, chief executive of the Publishers Association.
'Now that technology is putting e-reading devices into consumers' hands, we are starting to see the rapid growth of digital sales in this area, as consumer publishers develop digital formats to reach wider audiences,' he explained.
However, rather than digital books replacing physical copies in the future, Mr Mollet instead envisages the two formats co-existing.
The data showed digital content remains a small proportion of overall book sales, however, which stood at GBP 3.1 billion in 2010.