Europeans Bought More E-books in 2025; Bulgaria Trails

New data from Eurostat reveals a notable trend across the European Union: citizens are increasingly turning to digital formats for their reading habits. In 2025, there was a marked increase in the purchase of e-books and audiobooks compared to the preceding year, indicating a growing preference for digital content.

However, this surge in digital book consumption is not uniformly distributed across the bloc. Bulgaria, unfortunately, appears to be lagging behind, not featuring among the countries that have seen substantial growth in this sector. This suggests that while the digital reading revolution is gaining momentum in many parts of Europe, its penetration in Bulgaria may be slower, or alternative reading preferences remain dominant.

The broader implications of this trend point towards a significant shift in the publishing and retail industries. As more consumers embrace e-books and audiobooks, traditional print sales may face continued pressure. For Bulgaria, this data serves as a call to examine the factors influencing digital adoption, whether they be related to consumer habits, market availability, or digital infrastructure, to understand why the country is not keeping pace with the EU average.